Casebere's Dreamlike Models Explore Climate Crisis and Utopian Hopes

James Casebere '76 latest solo show, Seeds of Time, is currently on display at Sean Kelly Gallery in New York. Known for creating elaborate tabletop models that he then photographs, Casebere captures places that don't exist, embodying political and psychic dimensions. A prime example is his piece Stairs, featuring pastel façades and blurred reflections, evoking a blend of modernist architecture and a dreamy, disconcerting flood scene.

Casebere’s artistic journey began during his undergraduate years at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Influenced by his professor Siah Armajani and theoretical figures like Edward T. Hall and Martin Heidegger, he started exploring the built world through his models. His early works, such as Fork in the Refrigerator, reflect a mix of suburban angst and primal undercurrents.

Over the decades, Casebere’s work has evolved, incorporating themes of institutional power and psychic depth, often using water as a symbol of historical and personal inundation. His new series tackles climate crisis themes, inspired by real-world architectural projects aiming for utopian solutions. These images hover between nightmares and reveries, offering a glimmer of hope amid rising tides.

Seeds of Time
Sean Kelly Gallery, New York
June 27–August 2, 2024

Learn More

• James Casebere’s Visions from After the Flood
  (newyorker.com–July 27, 2024)
• James Casebere Seeds of Time
  (skny.com)