Jim Rennert: in New York

NEW YORK, NY (SEPTEMBER 21, 2021) – Cavalier Gallery is pleased to announce the groundbreaking exhibition, Jim Rennert: In New York, which features 10 major works on public exhibition throughout midtown Manhattan. The exhibition continues with new works on exhibit in the gallery at 3 West 57^th Street with mid-sized bronze sculptures, drawings, and studies for his monumental sculptures.

 

What began as Rennert’s idea to encourage people to THINK BIG – bringing his first colossal bronze sculpture to New York City’s Union Square in 2014 – has now grown to include this expansive public exhibition of sculpture throughout the art capital of the world.

 

Standing midway between idealism and realism, Rennert’s figures represent recognizable feelings and attitudes of working men and women. Inhabited by the currents and crosscurrents that make the business world so unpredictable, his figures find themselves there, often through great effort and a willingness to take risks.

 

Positioned throughout the bustling city streets, a moment of calm is invited as you come upon Rennert’s sculptures.  One figure pauses to look at his watch, considering the importance of timing, while another raises his hand to signal a moment of quiet, imploring the viewer to stop and listen. A third figure looks upon a smaller figure in his hand, metaphorically speaking to his own conscience, while another commuter sits on a bench patiently waiting, leaving a space for passersby to stop and join him. Elsewhere, a towering businessman gazes upward at the Manhattan skyline, contemplating the possibilities that lay within his vast surroundings. He reminds us that if we “think big” any dream is attainable.

 

“Before I became a sculptor, I spent a period of my young adulthood struggling in the business world,” said artist Jim Rennert. “Decades later, that experience continues to inspire my subject matter, as the figures I create wear the standard business attire of suits and ties. The absence of fine detail provides a blank canvas for viewers to see themselves within the sculpture and to challenge and inspire them to achieve their dreams.”

 

An encounter with these works is meant to give the viewer pause and consider how we face our daily challenges as the city and the world keep turning around us. Representing the meeting point of the business world and everyday lives of ordinary people, each title works together with the visual image to illustrate the experience, sometimes physical, sometimes psychological and showcases the thoughts and ideas we all deal with in our contemporary society.

 

“Life in the corporate environment, as a contemporary experience, is a subject matter that other artists have largely ignored,” said Ron Cavalier, President of Cavalier Galleries. “Jim Rennert’s figures bridge the gap between realism and symbolism, compelling the viewer to pause and consider their significance. As New Yorkers and people around the world return to a fast-paced life, we hope these sculptures will serve as a reminder to celebrate your successes and face your challenges with hope and strength.”

 

With ten larger-than-life sculptures on view at public locations across the city, as well as the unveiling of a selection of new works at Cavalier Gallery on 57^th Street, Jim Rennert: In New York serves as a wonderful celebration of the artist’s oeuvre in the city that he now calls home. The public works will be on view through December 2021, with the feature exhibition in the gallery on view September 21 – October 30, 2021. 

 

Opening Reception:

Tuesday, September 21st

5-7pm at Pershing Square

Please RSVP at art@cavaliergalleries.com

 

Public locations include:

• 34^th & 2^nd (222 East 34^th Street “Think Big”)
• 42^nd & Park (Pershing Square “Inner Dialogue”, “Listen”, “Timing”)
• 47^th & 6^th (1185 6^th Avenue “Commute”, “Inner Dialogue”, “Timing”)
• 54^th & Broadway (1700 Broadway “WTF”, “Walking the Tightrope”)
• 55^th & 6^th (1350 6^th Avenue “Listen”)

 

 

Jim Rennert was born in 1958 and was raised in the Southwest United States. Rennert began exhibiting his work in 1993 and has since become an important figure in contemporary sculpture. Rennert’s work is exhibited regularly at important American art fairs, in addition to galleries throughout the US and Canada. His works can be found in private and corporate collections worldwide, including monumental bronzes at Palisades Village in California, and the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Pennsylvania, as well as a collection of multiple sculptures throughout the town of Naples, FL. Notable public exhibitions include his iconic “Think Big” which debuted in June 2014 in New York's Union Square, now permanently installed on 34th Street, as well as the 2020 exhibition, “Jim Rennert: With These Hands” a collection of monumental works presented at the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden in West Palm Beach, FL.

 

Rennert's work is figurative, emphasizing movement, action, and contemplation. Looking at various aspects of business life, Rennert presents the contemporary businessman's daily struggle with himself and others. Shifting away from the more refined detail of his earlier sculptures, Rennert's recent works have become increasingly cerebral, with softened characteristics allowing a broader representation of any given person. This reflects a greater focus in his body of work on the everyday challenges faced by any individual, so as to invite an immediate connection with all who view his work.

 

Cavalier Gallery has offered an unparalleled variety of contemporary fine art for over 35 years.  The Gallery presents year-round exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, and photography in New York, NY, Greenwich, CT, Nantucket, MA, and Palm Beach, FL. Owner, Ron Cavalier, has been a strong supporter of public art exhibitions since the gallery’s inception, continually organizing large-scale outdoor installations of works by world-renowned sculptors. For more information visit www.cavaliergalleries.com

Breanna Suden on behalf of Cavalier Galleries