A sense of suspension and expectation prevails in the work of Bri Williams (Long Beach, USA, 1993), a reflection on time, on the metamorphosis of things, but above all on their continuous becoming. In sculpture, the concept of definition vanishes, going beyond the boundaries of the finite to remain in doubt, exploring the sense of identity and being.
Bri Williams, “An arrow shot over the house that hits no one”, exhibition view at Clima, Milan 2025. Courtesy: the Artist and Clima, Milan. Photo: Flavio Pescatori
In the spaces of Clima Gallery (Milan), we find ourselves immersed in a cautious silence, mirrored visually by the sobriety of the colors, the absence of definition and the shapes of the objects. Bri Williams presents here a series of assemblages, some arranged on the wall, others resting on the floor, created through the fusion of organic and inorganic bodies, found and selected along thei daily journey to the studio. These objects come from diverse origins. There are inorganic elements such as metal grids (pieces of fencing or gates), sheets, furniture, but also a Christmas decoration, a rigid wooden case or a rope; as well as organic elements, such as bird wings and even a crow.
Bri Williams, “An arrow shot over the house that hits no one”, exhibition view at Clima, Milan 2025. Courtesy: the Artist and Clima, Milan. Photo: Flavio Pescatori
Once found, these objects or bodies are reworked, fused, and transformed. Moving beyond the Duchampian objet trouvé, no longer accepted in its mere state of discovery, they undergo a mutation, a conversion towards new signifiers and signifieds. This transformation in itself is nothing new, yet it is their incompleteness that intrigues us. A sense of mystery, absence, and suspension unfolds before us. The assemblages are, in fact, never entirely finished. After their union in search of a new life, they are “suspended” beyond the flow of time and space through layers of natural resins or industrial dyes, wax or beeswax.
Bri Williams, “The Gift”, 2024, resin, bird wings, metal parts, 83x39x26 cm, 32.5x15x10 in. Courtesy: the Artist and Clima, Milan. Photo: Flavio Pescatori
These encrustations of the object or body create a short circuit in the metamorphosis process. As suggested by the exhibition title, An arrow shot over the house that hits no one, Williams investigates the concept of transformation and non-finiteness, arriving at a sort of freeze-frame of the process, in which these new objects remain still, alert in the moment of becoming aware of their transitory existence. Scattered throughout the main gallery space, these assemblages act as altars without a temple, resembling symbols but without an image, seeking form but not finding it. They are undefined and mute silhouettes, suspended in continuous transformation, awaiting relocation.
Bri Williams, “Omen (Crow)”, 2024, resin, flower, marble, wood, 34x149x53 cm, 13x58x20 in.; “The Pacifist”, 2025, metal, resin, beeswax, dried flowers, silicone, blouse, wood, 93x123x96 cm, 36.5x48x37 in. Courtesy: the Artist and Clima, Milan. Photo: Flavio Pescatori
The intimate process behind Bri Williams’ work expands into a collective experience. Much like life itself, each work emerges from an intricate dance between chance and fate, discovery and deliberate choice. They do not arise from nothing but from the fortuitous encounter that takes place outside the studio, an event that triggers new trajectories of mutation, interacting with the collective and shared relational experience. Breaking free from the traditional sequence of introduction-development-conclusion, these works exist in a perpetual state of becoming. The soul of the objects and bodies on display manifests imperceptibly and silently, in the interstice between death and life, like two sides of the same coin. Though dominated by subdued tones, the works emanate a strong emotional charge, born from a tension between randomness and intention. Each found element, imbued with a soul, carries personal meanings and transforms, intertwining personal and universal transience.
Info:
Bri Williams. An arrow shot over the house that hits no one
23/01/2025 – 22/03/2025
Clima
Via Lazzaro Palazzi, 3 – Milano
www.climagallery.com
Matteo Giovanelli (Brescia, 1999) is an art historian and young curator. After getting two degrees in Cultural Heritage and Art History at the University of Verona, he developed a dynamic professional profile. He has collaborated with contemporary art galleries, assisting in the curation of exhibitions and participating in prestigious exhibition projects and international fairs. He writes art reviews and criticisms, contributing to offering a critical and in-depth look at the contemporary art scene.
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