LOIS LAMBERT GALLERY
John Peralta: Mechanations
January 13 - March 9, 2024
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 13, 6-9PM
JOHN PERALTA, Professor Fox’s Fantastic Writing Machine, Hammond typewriter, (c. 1913), brass, wood, steel, 36” x 36” x 12”
Lois Lambert Gallery presents Mechanations, the most recent exhibition of work by artist John Peralta.
Peralta is a self-taught artist whose work examines the emotional relationship we develop with the machines we use. He is most known for his sculptures, which transform discarded mechanical objects into astonishing, complex works of art. “For this exhibition, I’ve selected some of the most iconic, beautiful, and challenging pieces I’ve ever worked with. Some are extremely rare. They are also some of my personal favorites.”
Peralta looks for objects that exemplify the best design and engineering of their time, searching for something that is not entirely obsolete but has since been discarded and somewhat forgotten. Peralta’s process involves meticulous disassembly, cleaning, and minor repairs without erasing the physical memories of the object’s original owner. Peralta then builds a frame using fine walnut to complement the metal components of the machine, delicately balancing and suspending each piece. The care with which each part is meticulously and precisely constructed clearly demonstrates Peralta’s imagination, technical expertise, and inventiveness.
These unique sculptures show the intricate inner workings of machines we are familiar with. Peralta is most interested in these objects for the emotional connection and nostalgia they carry, paying reverence to the lost memories held within each outdated and broken machine. His work, characterized by visual and textural contrasts, motion, mechanics, space, and time, breathes new life into the forgotten memories attached to these artifacts.
As a child, Peralta would disassemble radios, televisions, tape players, and other mechanical objects to investigate how they worked. Despite receiving no formal training in the arts, Peralta learned to sketch, paint, and sculpt and ultimately developed this entirely new medium that perfectly combined his passions for art, science, engineering, and technology.
John A. Peralta, b. 1965 in Denver, CO, currently lives and works in Austin, TX. His work has been shown at The Lancaster Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, CA; The Bridgehampton Museum, Bridgehampton, NY; the LA Art Show, Los Angeles, CA; Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design Fair, Chicago, IL; and many other galleries in the U.S. Peralta has held major exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Austin, and Santa Fe. His work is part of collections at The Biogena Museum, Strausburg, Austria; Virgin Hotels, Nashville, TN; The Dubai Mall, Dubai UAE; Fender Musical Instruments Corp., Scottsdale, AZ; and Sallyport Investments, Houston, TX. Commissions for private collectors and corporate clients are also a significant part of Peralta’s work. This is Peralta’s first exhibition at Lois Lambert Gallery.
Lois Lambert Gallery, Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Ave., #E3, Santa Monica, CA 90404
(310) 829-6990 | info@loislambertgallery.com
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00am - 6:00pm