As Clutter Gallery prepares to host American Gross for his upcoming solo show, “Shrine”, we took this opportunity to ask a few questions to get to know what makes him so Gross!
Who is American Gross?
I have been sculpting since I was a small child. I went to University for sculpture, so its been a lifelong passion of mine. I was in the orbit of the inception of Designer Toys in the West back in 1999 and 2000. But I didn’t really get heavily involved until later, around 2007 or so.
Who/What are your biggest influences?
I am huge devotee of Max Ernst and Giorgio de Chirico. I believe in the unexplainable expression of the soul.
Tell us something special about the upcoming exhibition with us.
For this show, I am showing several new sculpts that I have been working on for a while. I have a habit of working on sculpts for a long time, till I can’t bear to touch them anymore, and then i figure they are done. Everything is resin cast, and I am trying out some new techniques this time. I’m open to the accident. I want pieces in this show to look like nothing I have ever done before. I want to see what I learn from showing them. I have also pulled together a number of older pieces that I have never shown before, one offs and prototypes. This show is a mix of new and old.
What are a few of your favorite tools/materials?
I love wax, and I love knives.
For those not familiar with your work, how would you describe your style?
I would describe my work how I experience it, metaphysical and leaning towards the darkness, but I don’t think that is the only way to see it.
