56 HENRY is pleased to present Cubicle, an exhibition of new work by Al Freeman. The show, comprising a group of soft sculptures, will be on view from November 14th through December 22nd, 2019. Cubicle marks Al Freeman’s second solo presentation with 56 HENRY.

On view in the gallery is a series of wall-hung soft sculptures that represent objects associated with the material culture of corporate offices. Chosen in part for the ubiquity of their presence, the sculptures variously depict a standing water cooler, a yellow internal mail envelope, and a desktop computer monitor, among other objects. Made of stitched pleather forms loosely stuffed with polyester fill, the works enlarge the scale of their referents, replacing rigid structures with sagging forms.

The sculptures also consider the office as a site where oppression, repetition, bad taste, and humor coalesce. A miniature basketball hoop attached to a garbage can suggests an aging fraternity brother advertising his glory days to the chagrin of his coworkers. A computer monitor features the recognizable layout of the Pornhub website, and the shattered screen of a rose gold iPhone supports four lines of cocaine, suggesting the presence of illicit activities in a shared public space. Highlighting the continuities between fraternity culture and corporate politics, the exhibition mines the genre of office pranks—not dissimilar from fraternity hazing rituals—and features one of these practical jokes, which can be viewed upon request.

Al Freeman (b. 1981, Toronto) lives and works in New York. She received her B.F.A. from Concordia University in 2005, and her M.F.A. from the Yale University School of Art in 2010. Her work has been the subject of numerous presentations both stateside and abroad, including exhibitions at Auroras, São Paulo; Bortolami Gallery, New York; Embajada, San Juan; Carl Kostyál, London; and Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels. Freeman’s work is frequently featured in major group exhibitions, including recent presentations at Almine Rech, New York; Venus Over Los Angeles, Los Angeles; CANADA, New York; Harper’s Books, East Hampton; Nicelle Beauchene Gallery, New York; CUE Foundation, New York; Chateau du Feÿ, Bourgogne; Reyes/Finn, Detroit; and Marlborough Contemporary, New York. In 2017, Freeman published Comparisons with Flat Fix press, Brooklyn. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, GQ, and artnet News, and numerous other publications. Freeman is represented by 56 HENRY.

For further information about the exhibition, please contact the gallery at info@56henry.nyc, or +1 (518) 966-2622.