Bonnie Collura’s sculptural installation Prince critiques our culture’s pattern of repeating iconic characters, gestures, and polarizing traits to create heroes. In her ongoing project, Collura interprets the Prince figure as an amalgamation of four archetypal male characters from history, religion, and popular culture: Jesus, St. Sebastian, C-3PO (the droid from Star Wars), and Abraham Lincoln. Four solid, mixed-media sculptures represent each of these individuals as they gesture in response to four translucent counterparts that are made of sewn, silk organza and suspend from the ceiling like gossamer sheaths. By building both their bodies and shedding skins through sewing, the artist aims to rebuke tropes of the heroic male sculptor, as well as constructs that create patriarchal icons.

Bonnie Collura would like to thank the following for their support of this project: Penn State College of Arts and Architecture, Penn State School of Visual Arts, Katie Pack, Danielle Spewak, Amirmasoud Agharebparast, Christina Dietz, Geri Collura, Denis Collura, and a very special thanks to Matthew J. Olson.

This exhibition is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, New York City Council Member Stephen Levin, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and with generous support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Robert Lehman Foundation, Iorio Charitable Foundation, Select Equity Group Foundation, many individuals and Smack Mellon’s Members. 

Smack Mellon’s programs are also made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and with generous support from The New York Community Trust, The Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund of The New York Community Trust, The Roy and Niuta Titus Foundation, Jerome Foundation, The Greenwich Collection Ltd, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation Inc., Brooklyn Arts Council, and Exploring The Arts. The artist would like to thank the following for their support of this project: Penn State College of Arts and Architecture, Penn State School of Visual Arts, Katie Pack, Danielle Spewak, Amirmasoud Agharebparast, Christina Dietz, Geri Collura, Denis Collura, and a very special thanks to Matthew J. Olson.

Space for Smack Mellon’s programs is generously provided by the Walentas family and Two Trees Management.