New York, NY - Tria Gallery exhibits the extraordinary works of Chris Piazza at its opening show. Ms. Piazza's mixed media works include sculpture, large jointed figures and photographic collage -- work connected by themes of multiple reference and the timeless quality of antique materials and familiar objects.  Exhibition 5 October until 11 November, 2006.

“Besides taking a great deal of time to produce, my work is about the relationship I have with the things out of which it has evolved -- experiences, ideas, people and objects.  The richness of the materials and their often humble, original purpose make the work a part of the history of the people who came before me,” notes Ms. Piazza.

Figures, mannequins and puppets are a focus of Ms. Piazza’s work. History, architecture, the Italian Commedia dell'Arte, as well as individuals as diverse as Joseph Cornell, Fred Astaire, and Albert Einstein, factor into her extensively varied constructions.  "The labor intensive aspect of the work, the attention to detail, utilization of actual antiques and antiquated processes in production are constants which help to knit this broad range of materials and ideas together into a cohesive body of work.  Whether I'm working in photography or with jointed figures in glass boxes, the imagery, materials or literary references in the piece are so connected to the fabric of so many other pieces that, even though they may appear very different, the network of woven connections is binding throughout," continues Ms. Piazza.

The centerpiece of The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of is “The Snowshoe Salesman”. Standing at 10 1/2’ tall and 14’ wide, this homage to Hans Christian Andersen's story The Snow Queen is created from antique etched glass, antique fabrics and jewelry samples, and an assortment of actual antique advertising packaging - some with their original soap flakes, tonics and elixirs still intact.  The Salesman himself stands amid a sea of over 4,000 small, vintage "party favor" shoes, each covered with antique glass glitter.

“Fritz” features a jointed figure made from antique gelatin sequins standing inside a 10 1/2' tall and 4' wide silver rocket ship made of aluminum sheeting.  “Fritz” was made in homage to Fred Astaire and his "firecracker dance" in the Irving Berlin film, Holiday Inn.  “Mr. Maybelle - The Cucumber Salesman”, at 8’ tall, is made with antique packing box and paper labels, and carries his own antique, wooden "salesman sample" suitcase.

In addition to these larger works, The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of will also feature many of Ms. Piazza’s smaller works, which are similarly invested with the surprising reinventions that take place by way of her sense of object juxtaposition and masterful application.  These include “The Snow Repair Kit”, “The Little Girl Who Wouldn’t Shut Up” and “The Hypnotic Effects of the Fairy Factory, Youngstown, Ohio”.

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of showcases Ms. Piazza’s ability to create works of amazing inspiration and grace.  One is immediately struck by the cleverness of the characters portrayed and the multiple ideas suggested - all brought to life by an extraordinary attention to detail and remarkable technical virtuosity.  Ms. Piazza's exceptional skills and lively imagination are matched by an almost clairvoyant connection with the antique materials she works with.  Her dazzlingly unique talent is reminiscent of old world European craftsmanship. 

Tria specializes in contemporary painting and mixed media by established and emerging artists. In addition to artwork on exhibit, the gallery maintains an inventory of select works by its featured artists.  Tria's three directors, Carol Suchman, Paige Bart and Latifa Metheny, are committed to presenting artists with compelling bodies of work, and ones whose stories should, in their estimation, be told.

Visit TRIA Gallery at www.triagallerynyc.com