Gary Fredriksen
Gary Fredriksen is a New York-based sculptor whose practice spans four decades of working with materials, space, and form. He received his BFA in Sculpture from Wayne State University in Detroit (1980) and his MFA in Sculpture from Hunter College in New York (1985).
Fredriksen's early career was shaped by extraordinary proximity to two defining figures of the 1980s New York art scene: he served as an assistant to Keith Haring (1983–1984), working on projects at BAM, the Palladium, and Tony Shafrazi Gallery, and to Vito Acconci (1985), collaborating on installation projects across the city. These formative experiences grounded his practice in the intersection of sculpture, installation, and public space. His work has been exhibited widely, including at the Bronx Museum's Artist in the Marketplace program, Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, Hillside Sculpture Park in Montclair, and NL=US Gallery in Rotterdam. He has presented solo and two-person exhibitions at venues across New York, New Jersey, and Michigan.
Beyond his studio practice, Fredriksen brings deep material expertise in bronze casting, mold making, and fiberglass fabrication, developed through years of work with foundries including Roman Bronze in New York and Arizona Bronze in Scottsdale. He has taught at Parsons School of Design and Montclair State University, guiding emerging artists in 3D design, material processes, and creative problem-solving.
Proposal
During the residency in Tulum, I intend to immerse myself in both the culture and the natural beauty of the place in order to gain new perspectives.
I would start by exploring the area around the residency and beyond, locating myself within my surroundings. I would maintain a sketchbook/journal and a photography and video practice to document my time there, sketching objects I find, drawing up plans, capturing the colors and textures of Tulum's landscape and recording sounds.
I am deeply influenced by my Romani heritage, which instills in me a strong appreciation for adapting to and assimilating into diverse cultural and natural environments. Long walks and forraging are primary for me, for my well being, inspiration, research and materials. I'm especially interested in connecting with the local community and exchanging thoughts and ideas through art and music and seeing where that might lead. I would work outdoors on small sculptures that would begin with natural elements I forrage. I'm excited to find different woods and raw materials than I am used to. I would experiment by responding to these in a series of small sculptures, or perhaps maquettes for future work.
