When Bernie Kaminski sculpts his papier-mâché objects, he does so from a fitting spot: his kitchen table.
Using the sticky pulp, the artist creates lifelike iterations of everyday items you might spot on a New York street corner or tucked in an apartment: a Lox bagel with red onion and schmear, a row of metal mailboxes, and a canvas L.L. Bean tote filled with tennis balls. Some works are one-offs, like the tighty whities or payphone, and others form a small part of a larger composition.
Kaminski’s medicine cabinet, for example, features four shelves filled with various over-the-counter treatments and prescriptions. The branding evokes decades past, and closer inspection reveals tiny price tags glimpsing a time when a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy didn’t bring quite as much pain at the cash register as it does today.
The box of matchbooks is similar. Bearing names like Jerry’s and Odeon, the items recall classic New York restaurants, some of which have been operating for decades and others that closed their doors years ago.
Currently, Kaminski is working on a pair of tube socks and preparing for an exhibition in early 2025. You can follow his latest sculptures on Instagram.
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