Lauren Cohen : BRIAN’S ESTATE SALE
at SPRING/BREAK ART SHOW 2023
Booth no. 1027
625 Madison Ave, New York
Inviting you to join us for this year's SPRING/BREAK Art Show, WILDCARD edition.
First Look | Wednesday, Sept 6th, 11AM-5PM
Opening Night | Wednesday, Sept 6th, 5PM - 8PM
Regular Show Days | Thursday, Sept 7th - Monday, Sept 11th, 11AM - 7PM
“One man’s junk is another person’s treasure, come to Brian’s estate sale.”
In the depths of her emotional solitude during the pandemic, artist Lauren Cohen embarked on a creative venture, making fictional characters who are in pursuit of finding love. Brian emerged as a composite embodiment of all that Cohen cherishes and fears in the opposite sex and in herself. Rooted in her personal odyssey to mend deep-seated traumas, the artist explores love’s intricate
dynamics.
For Spring Break, Cohen’s character, Brian, is having an estate sale. There will be over 100 ceramic household objects, each imbued with the essence of Brian. Visitors are invited to rummage through various oddities that have been born out of the interior spaces of the artist’s psyche. A range of Brian’s collections will be on display. Brian is a single man over 50, who has turned to the comfort of processed meats and strategy games to cope with his lack of companionship. He loves Martha Stewart, Food and Wine magazine, men’s butts and cooking, but doesn’t have anyone to share life with. He still truly believes in love but is frustrated by his loneliness. The estate sale will have many unique items: a collection of 100 heart-shaped-rocks that Brian found on solo hikes, a grouping of sporks, games, an “ass” ash tray, plate ware, tea sets that bear a striking resemblance to Brian and his deceased German Shepherd dog and a ceramic glock pistol that looks like ground beef. The artist began seeing the parallels in her own desires and flaws and worried about the sadness that this imaginary man felt.
Within the realm of material possessions, the adage of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” resounds with profound truth, reminding us of the innate subjectivity that governs our perception of worth. No one will know if Brian is dead or alive during the sale, which leads one to question what someone creates, collects or values during their lifetime.
Artist Bio:
Lauren Cohen holds a BFA from California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA and a Masters from Royal College of Art, London, UK. Her work has been exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Van Der Plas Gallery, New York; Trestle Gallery, New York; Andrew Edlin Gallery, New York; The Maine Jewish Museum, Portland; Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco; The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, Napa, California; The London Institute of Contemporary Art; The Blyth Gallery, London; and Goldsmiths College of London. She has been an Artist in Residence at MacDowell, NARS (New York Art Residency and Studios), The Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation and MASS MoCA. Previous juried exhibitions include Bloomberg New Contemporaries, The Catlin Guide, and Saatchi New Sensations.
