Justin Morin
Flex
June 3 – July 16, 2016
CAPITAL is proud to present Flex, Justin Morin’s first solo exhibition in the United States.
Justin Morin’s sculptures are light, disembodied, fresh, and beautifully abstracted. Androgynous, pop-influenced objects, crushed and/or bent chromed metal rods, and colorfully considered draped silks - reach into the history of painting and sculpture, while maintaining a contemporary voice in the world of runway models, fashion magazines, Hollywood, gay semiotics, minimalism, advertising, and theater.
In 2014, Nike released a highly aestheticized performance clothing line called Hyperwarm Flex, a top-and-pant combination featuring skin-tight breathable mesh, and seamless knit engineering;
The Hyperwarm Flex collection oscillates visually between anatomy and sexuality, exaggerating the body’s musculature and silhouette. Strangely, this line was only produced for a male audience, reinforcing the homoerotic charge of the clothing, the immediate link between the performance-enhanced body, and the sexual tension of the locker room.
The draped silk and chromed metal works displayed in Flex act as lures for both power and seduction. These large silk sculptures are printed chromatic transcriptions of the subjects referenced in their titles, and are each exhibited in accordance with a specific protocol. The lines and shapes created by the draped fabric appear casual and fleeting, composed and decisive. The range of color in the silk is laid bare and pulled into more condensed lines by the draping of the material itself.