Tangential Taxonomies opening reception on Dec. 7

Tangential Taxonomies, an immersive installation created by local sculptor David Zaslow, is inspired by the intersection of hard science and social science. Questioning how we form understanding, Zaslow’s work blurs the line between what we feel and what we think, and explores the grey area between knowledge and belief. Comprising approximately 80 individual sculptures inspired by images from the textbook “Animals Without Backbones” by Ralph Bauchsbaum and 1930s-50s scientific imagery, Zaslow’s installation creates an environment in which his creatures can thrive or perish.

The viewer is invited to question what, why, and where these animals exist, and to form narratives about their relationships. Are they copulating, devouring, or cohabitating? Where do they lie on the spectrum between anxiety and ectasy? Is what we know truth or belief? Intended to function like a
Rorschach test, the installation challenges viewers to bring their own experiences and project their own understanding onto the work.

Opening reception is Dec. 7, 6-10 p.m. at ideaXfactory during First Friday Art Walk. The exhibition continues through Jan. 25 and is free and open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3-7. For more information about the sculptor, please visit his website: http://www.davidmzaslow.com