Artist Statement

I am primarily a sculptor of large interactive works. I explore spiritual social conditioning in cultural, mentality and ritual contexts. Using cartoon-like symbolism/metaphors, I aim to create a humorous situation asking serious questions about the viewer's individual experience of theism.

What I search for with my work is a better understanding of what people believe and why. Through interactive sculptures I seek the intangible/unprovable aspects of cultural upbringing and socialization.

Interaction is a vital point to every work. I begin each piece with a question. For example: what is worshippable? Where would you hide from god? Often, I ask many strangers and friends for their answers to these questions. It is important that various responses are considered in each work's development.

My newer works are devices for the detection of intangible, undetectable human conditions. I concentrate on the detection of sin, purity, soul (or lack of), damnation, salvation, etc. by reassigning the tools of detection used and seen everywhere today. I use the tools which identify the hidden and microscopic, and change them into tools of spiritual assessment and determination. I hope to gain a better understanding of people and how they allow ideas to control and guide their lives.


Bio

Asha Ganpat is a sculptor who was born in Trinidad, WI and currently lives/works in New Jersey. She received her B.F.A. from Mason Gross, Rutgers University and M.F.A. from Montclair State University. Ganpat has shown at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Insitituto di Cultura, Exit Art, The Noyes Museum, Seton Hall University, The Jersey City Museum and the Nathan Cummings Foundation. She is a alumni of Aljira's Emerge program and has received the award of Best In Show for her work in the Metro Show at City Without Walls in Newark New Jersey. In addition, Ganpat is an adjunct professor of sculpture at Montclair State University and is co-founder/director of Red Saw Gallery in Newark.

Awards/Honors:

Residency, Chashama North, Pine Plains, NY 2007
Mentor Artist, ArtReach, City Without Walls, Newark, NJ 2007
Residency, Mother of God, a project of Wonderwomen, Gaia Studio, Hoboken, New Jersey 2007
Artist In Residence, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Outreach Program, Summit, NJ 2006-present
Best In Show, Metro Show 24, City Without Walls, Newark, New Jersey, 2006
Mentor Artist, ArtReach, City Without Walls, Newark, New Jersey, 2006
Fellowship, Emerge 7, Aljira, 2005
Excellence in Sculpture Award, Montclair State University, 2005
International Sculpture Center, Outstanding Student Award, Nominee 2005
Graduate Assistantship in Digital Technology, Montclair State University 2004-2005
International Sculpture Center, Outstanding Student Award, Nominee 2004

Exhibitions Juried and Curated

Curator, Boys and Power, RedSaw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2008
Co-curator, RedSaw at Rahway, Rahway Arts Guild, Rahway, NJ; 2008
Curator, FAKES, RedSaw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2008
Co-curator, RedSaw Invitational, RedSaw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2007
Co-curator, Outside, Jersey City Art Tour, Waldo Lofts, Jersey City, NJ; 2007
Co-curator, LILLIPUT Tiny Art For Big People, RedSaw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2007
Co-curator, BABOOM! Ding Dong Ding, RedSaw Benefit, RedSaw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2007
Co-curator, SHAME, Red Saw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2007
Juror, ?n?t?r-?k't?v, Walsh Gallery, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ; 2006
Co-curator, Newark Invitational, Red Saw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2006
Curator, Escaping Freedom, works by Rune Olsen, Red Saw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2006
Curator, TOYS, Red Saw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2006
Curator, LUMEN, Red Saw Gallery, Newark, NJ; 2005
Co-Curator, Amos Eno Show, 2005
Juror, Global Images 2005, Gallery One, Montclair State University
Co-curator, 12 & Under at Amos Eno, New York, NY; 2005
Coordinator, M.F.A. exhibitions 2004-2005, M.F.A. Gallery, Montclair State University

Professional Organizations

Red Saw Gallery, Co-founder
Collaboration with Agitators Collective
Global Visual Dialogues, The Graduate School, Montclair State University, Founder and President 2004 - 5

Conferences

Guest Speaker, Resistance!, 14th Annual Book Symposium, Rutgers University, New Jersey 2008
Panel Discussion, Mapping Correspondence, The Center for Book Arts, New York 2008
Gallery talk, Grace Church, Jersey City, NJ 2007
Critique of Detritus, Guest Curator, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 2007
Gallery talk, Mana Fine Art, Jersey City, New Jersey Mother of God 2007
Panel Discussion. Nathan Cummings Foundation, New York. 2006
Gallery talk. Instituto di Cultura, New York. Trash 2004

Bibliography

Bischoff, Dan. "Lost in N.Y." "The Star-Ledger" April 12, 2008
Bischoff, Dan. "Fabulous 'Fakes'" "The Star-Ledger" February 13, 2008
Arney, Joe. "Faking It" "Go Newark" February 2008
Heller, Maxwell. "Tracks: Sultana's Dream and the SAWCC" "The Brooklyn Rail" September 2007
Williams, Noelle. "Manipulating Manipulated or Manipulators Manipulating" "Art Players Magazine" May 2007]
Bischoff, Dan. "Vacuums in art" "The Star-Ledger" April 12, 2007
Bischoff, Dan. "Viewer Participation Makes Exhibit Go" "Star-Ledger" December 8, 2006
Marinoski, Angelo. "Art Seen" "The Motif Magazine"
Duquette, Michael. "Art Comes Alive in the Walsh Gallery" "The Setonian" November 16, 2006
Bischoff, Dan. "Gallery still finding alternatives in Newark" "Star-Ledger" May 21st, 2006
Unatributted. "Hot New Gallery Opens on Broad Street" "The Newark Examiner" October 14, 2005
Bischoff, Dan. "Good things come in small formats" "Star-Ledger" November 19th, 2004
Capizzi, Carla. "Newark symposium challenges definitions of art and books" Rutgers Newark
"Trash". Video Documentary. Shown at 2004 Annual Book Symposium.
"'Cheap' Art Sale". Video documentary, Public access, Montclair, New Jersey

Publications

FAKES, RedSaw Gallery, 2008
In the Country of Last Refuge, Aferro, 2007
Lilliput, RedSaw Gallery, New Jersey, 2007
Art Reach Spring 2007, City Without Walls, New Jersey, 2007
Vitamin W, City Without Walls, New Jersey, 2007
New Jersey Fine Arts Annual, Noyes Museum, New Jersey, 2007
Our Man in Havana, Aferro, Newark, NJ, 2007
Newark Between Us, Newark Arts Council, New Jersey, 2007
Emerge 7, Aljira, New Jersey 2006
ArtReach Spring 2006, City Without Walls, New Jersey 2006
Unstitched, Unbound: Imprints for Change, New York 2006
Facing Newark, Newark Art Council, New Jersey 2005
M.F.A. Catalog, Montclair State University, New Jersey 2005
B.F.A. Catalog, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, New Jersey 2002

Collections

Rutgers Dana Library, Newark, NJ
Instituto di Cultura, New York, NY
PulchinoElefante, Osnago, Italy
Center for Book Arts, NY
Private Collections

Education and Certifications