FREDRIC SNITZER GALLERY

Troy Simmons
Textures of Humanity

May 27 - June 30, 2023

Fredric Snitzer Gallery is pleased to present Textures of Humanity, Troy Simmons' first solo exhibition with the gallery. Simmons' presentation focuses on new large-scale works that expand upon the artists' studio-based practice utilizing a combination of raw cast concrete, metal, and acrylic. The artist engages in a process-driven approach that provokes curiosity in the viewer, urging us to look past the exterior in search of what's beneath the surface. 

In his work, Simmons deconstructs construction itself, surveying natural ecologies, past and present cultures, futuristic worlds, and identity. Employing found objects, and construction debris, Simmons casts these in concrete, revealing their unique surface textures, a distinct memory of the past structures they are pulled from. What is most striking about this newest iteration of wall works is its break from traditional rectangular shapes, opting for complex arrangements of staggered, geometric forms that create asymmetrical compositions. 

Simmons' unique visual language illustrates the complex relationships between habitat and the human experience. Through the tactile qualities of his materials, he strives to capture the varied nuances and common grounds in our relationships with each other. Engaging with architecture, engineering, and art, he creates a dynamic dialogue between humanity and the built environment, encouraging viewers to connect on a deeper, more meaningful level.

Troy Simmons (b. 1975, Palestine, TX) is a sculptor and multimedia artist based in Miami. Raised between the urban landscape of Houston and his grandfather's hand-built farmhouse in East Texas, Simmons grew up fascinated by natural forms of habitation and simple dwellings of vernacular-style structures. A self-taught artist since his early teens, Simmons' creative inclinations were complimented by his studies of Environmental Science at Sam Houston State University and Architectural Technology at Oklahoma State University. His research on organic growth, animal nest-making, and the vernacular architecture of ancient cultures allowed him to recognize functional design as a survival instinct across species, eventually leading to an artistic investigation of identity as the difference between exterior and interior space. 

Simmons' work has appeared at Art Basel Miami Beach, VOLTA New York, VOLTA Basel, Art Paris, Boca Raton Museum of Art, and the Cornell Art Museum. An Oolite Ellies Creator Award recipient, Simmons has completed residencies at Artpace San Antonio and the Atlantic Center for the Arts. His work is held in private and corporate collections across the United States, Abu Dhabi, Germany, and Switzerland. To date, Simmons has completed two permanent commissions for public work – a building facade in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood commissioned by Goldman Global Arts, and a large architectural integrated sculpture commissioned by Bombardier Inc. at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport inspired by his 2018 sculpture, Vortex.