Solidity and Assemblage | Opening: April 29, 2026

April 29 – June 13, 2026

OPENING: WEDNESDAY, April 29, 6–8 PM

SWPK Gallery / The Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Foundation

417 Lafayette St, 2nd Floor, NYC. www.swpk.org

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Paul Chaleff (1947) is an American ceramic artist and educator known for his expressive, sculptural approach to clay. His work blends traditional pottery techniques with contemporary, often abstract forms, emphasizing texture, movement, and emotional resonance. Moving beyond functional ceramics, Chaleff treats clay as a responsive and dynamic material, allowing spontaneity and physical engagement to guide each piece. His sculptures explore balance, tension, and gravity, with forms that feel both grounded and in motion. Surfaces retain the immediacy of touch and visible traces of making. Influenced by historical ceramic traditions and modernist abstraction, his practice bridges craft and fine art, while his teaching has shaped generations of contemporary ceramic artists

.Sylvia Wald (1915–2011) was an American artist known for her innovative work in printmaking and sculpture. Born in Philadelphia, she studied at the Moore Institute of Art and began her career within Social Realism, depicting everyday life and social conditions. By the 1950s, she became associated with Abstract Expressionism, shifting toward a more gestural and experimental approach. She pioneered new silkscreen techniques using oil paint instead of ink, bringing greater immediacy to the medium. In the 1960s and 1970s, she expanded into collage and assemblage, incorporating unconventional materials such as paper, wire, bamboo, and textiles, ultimately establishing a pioneering practice that expanded the possibilities of printmaking and sculpture.