JP Terlizzi: Creatures of Curiosity

12 JANUARY - 1 MARCH 2024

Koslov Larsen (formerly Foto Relevance) is pleased to present Creatures of Curiosity, a solo show by gallery artist JP Terlizzi. Throughout history, the table has stood as an enduring symbol of unity and togetherness. Its significance goes beyond mere utility; it is a profound testament to the human spirit’s innate desire to connect. Whether marking a significant event or simply joining together, the act of thoughtfully preparing and presenting food on an arranged table becomes an expression of love and care.

 

The Creatures of Curiosity collection unveils the latest additions of contemporary still-lifes that enrich the acclaimed series The Good Dishes by photographer JP Terlizzi. Each tablescape in the series draws its foundation from Terlizzi’s collection of fine china, representing the essence of tradition and the beauty of connections forged through gathering over a shared meal. With a special focus on a range of creatures like exotic birds, tigers, cheetahs, snakes, insects, and monkeys, the lavish visual feast depicts an eclectic range where the brightness of color, ornate patterns, and unconventional food pairings suggest temptation and indulgence through the richness of nourishment, the opulence of life, and exotic luxuries. The exhibition will be on view at Koslov Larsen from January 12 – March 1, 2024. A pop-up version of the show will be on view through March 30.

 

Exhibition Catalog

Exhibition Commentary

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  • Creatures of Curiosity
  • Creatures of Curiosity
    JP Terlizzi, Spode Wildcat Prowl with Rosemary Pomegranate, 2023

    Creatures of Curiosity

    The Good Dishes integrates memory, legacy, and metaphor with my response to loss. As I witnessed an early generation of family members pass, my cousins and I were each faced with the emotional task of cleaning out the family home. Sorting through the heirlooms, we would determine which items to toss, sell, or preserve. Without fail, when it came to the family’s fine china, that item was always given to the person who most cherished its memory and sentimental value.

     

    Growing up in a large Italian family, everything was centered around food and the family table... Eating is a physical need, but meals are a social ritual. Utilizing the passed-down heirlooms of friends and family, The Good Dishes celebrates the memory of family and togetherness. It borrows the stylized rituals of formal tableware and draws inspiration from classic still-life paintings. Background textiles are individually designed and constructed to reflect patterns found in each table setting while presentation, etiquette, and formality are disassociated by using food and fine china in unconventional ways as metaphors for the beauty and intimacy that are centered around meal and table.

     

    The Creatures of Curiosity collection unveils the latest additions of contemporary still-lifes that enrich the acclaimed series The Good Dishes by photographer JP Terlizzi. Each tablescape in the series draws its foundation from JP’s collection of fine china, representing the essence of tradition and the beauty of connections forged through gathering over a shared meal. With a special focus on a range of creatures like exotic birds, tigers, cheetahs, snakes, insects, and monkeys, the lavish visual feast depicts an eclectic range where the brightness of color, ornate patterns, and unconventional food pairings suggest temptation and indulgence through the richness of nourishment, the opulence of life, and exotic luxuries.

    — JP Terlizzi

  • Garden Symphonies
  • Garden Symphonies
    JP Terlizzi, A Cascade of Orange, 2019

    Garden Symphonies

    Food, flowers, and objects have a rich and captivating history that has influenced cultures, religions, and civilizations throughout time. From ancient Egypt to medieval Europe, the Victorian era, and the present day, they have played a significant role in various rituals, ceremonies, art, and culture. Our relationship with food and flowers is unique and reveals a profound connection between humans and nature. They require gentle handling, watering, and nurturing, and their multi-sensory experience has been shown to significantly impact our mental and physical health.

     

    Garden Symphonies explores harmony and beauty woven within the tapestry of nature. The series of images juxtaposes darkness with light, creating a visually seductive narrative that warmly embraces the interplay of indulgence and abundance. These images act as an allegory for the ever-changing nature of time, adeptly capturing the transient essence of earthly existence. The collection invites you to "hear with your eyes" and celebrates the vibrant hues present in the ephemeral beauty of flowers, the succulence of fruit, and the symbolic richness embedded in textiles.

    — JP Terlizzi

  • Holding Arabesque

  • There is a strong emotional and social connection we all have with food and nostalgia. They can be viewed as coping mechanisms to navigate us through overwhelming stress and instability. They help us fuel the courage to confront our fears and tackle challenges while creating hope for the future. Growing up, my mother would always yell at me to stop playing with my food and sit down at the table and eat. I used to enjoy making walrus tusks with french fries, creating miniature fortress walls with carrots and corn kernels and placing olives on my fingertips thinking I was some type of alien space creature. Reflecting back, those days were worry-free, filled with possibility and child-like imagination.

     

    These past few years have forced me to accept some deep personal transitions in my life — the loss of family, adult children moving forward with their lives, the unpredictability of career brought on by the abrupt shifts of the pandemic, my own aging and the notion of longevity have all taken on a different weight. I turn to food and nostalgia as vehicles for comfort and a means to cope and process personal loss, instability, and uncertainty — searching for a more stable, innocent, and worry-free time.

     

    Holding Arabesque is an inward reflection that investigates our relationship with food and nostalgia and how both are used as coping mechanisms for stability during times of crisis and stress. Inspired by the abrupt shifts brought on by the pandemic, the series captures an idyllic time in the past that is remembered as better than today. Created all in camera, I use keepsakes along with food, patterns, shapes, forms, and colors as whimsical, playful, and nostalgic tableaux, choreographed in disciplined arrangements as symbols for hope. These cheerful totems disrupt the frame with unrealistic ways in which we are normally accustomed seeing food presented. Towering precariously, they question the delicate balance between stability and uncertainty – but most importantly, giving permission as an adult, that it’s still ok to play with your food.

    — JP Terlizzi

     

  • About the Artist

    Born and raised in the farmlands of Central New Jersey, JP Terlizzi earned a BFA in Communication Design at Kutztown University of PA with a background in graphic design and advertising. He has studied photography at both the International Center of Photography in New York and Maine Media College in Rockport, ME. Terlizzi’s highly acclaimed still life work is known for its distinctive use of style, pattern, texture, and color. He uses food and objects that serve as memory that link to a foundation in family tradition, history, and culture. His work has been exhibited extensively in galleries and museums across the United States and abroad including juried, invitational, and solo exhibitions notably at Koslov Larsen, (Houston, TX), Sohn Fine Art Gallery  (Lenox, MA), Gilman Contemporary (Ketchum, ID), Beth Urdang Gallery, (Boston MA), The Griffin Museum of Photography (Winchester, MA), Ft. Wayne Museum of Art  (Ft. Wayne, IN), Candela Gallery (Richmond, VA), and Klompching Gallery (Brooklyn, NY) among others.

     

    Terlizzi has been recognized three times in Photolucida’s Critical Mass Top 50 and three times as a Finalist, his work has appeared in The Photoville Fence, and his portfolios have won notable awards of distinction with Klompching Gallery (Brooklyn, NY), Sohn Fine Art Gallery (Lenox, MA), and Soho Photo Gallery (New York, NY). Print and on-line publications include: PDN, Shots Magazine, Yogurt Magazine (Italy), Art Market Magazine, (Israel), Lens Magazine (Israel), Photographer’s Companion (China), Abridged Magazine (Ireland), Mono Chroma Magazine, Photo Emphasis, All About Photo, L’oeil de la Photographie, The Photo Review, and F-Stop. His work is held in the permanent collections of Royal Caribbean Group, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Candela Gallery Acquisitions, and The Center for Fine Art Photography, as well as in private collections across the US and Canada.