TOR ARCHER: NATURAL INFLUENCE

Scott Richards Contemporary Art is pleased to present Natural Influence, a solo exhibition of new sculptures by Tor Archer. Known for transforming bronze and copper into evocative, anthropomorphic forms, the Bay Area sculptor continues to explore the intricate dialogue between humans and the natural world. In his third exhibition at Scott Richards Contemporary Art, Archer weaves together botany, mythology, and religious symbolism to address the delicate ways humans are bound to—and shaped by—nature.

Natural Influence showcases a new collection of biomorphic sculptures that reveal the artist’s own deep connection to nature, as well as our collective need for homeostasis. Through this body of work Archer explores the balance found in natural forms, treating nature as a sacred space. His practice invites viewers to consider both the strength and fragility of the ecosystem and to reflect on their own place within it.

In Whirlwind, interlaced twigs and leaves seem caught in motion, forming a lattice-like, figurative structure that alludes to spring and new beginnings. Geologic Torso connects triangular shapes inspired by crystalline rock formations to reflect upon strength and resilience, while Tree in Hand II recalls the symbolic gesture of a Buddhist mudra, inviting reflection, reverence, and mindfulness in our shared connection with nature.

Each piece is a study in contrasts: rigid yet fluid, abstract yet figurative, grounded yet ethereal, suggesting that the primordial impulses within us are inseparable from the natural rhythms that surround us.

When discussing his newest series, Tree in Hand, Tor Archer notes, “I have always been drawn to imagery of objects held in the hand, what religious iconography refers to as emblems. These images often express veneration, and for me, naturally, the tree is the object of reverence.”

Tor Archer has lived and worked in San Francisco since 1988. He has been nominated for the SECA Award at SFMOMA multiple times and is the recipient of the INSITE Award, the Walnut Creek Public Art Award, and the People’s Choice Award at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Archer has exhibited widely across the United States, Japan and Europe, and has participated in international residencies in Vietnam at the Muong Cultural Museum and the Danang Sculpture Foundation. His sculptures grace many private and corporate collections throughout the world.

For more information and images, please contact Alina Richards at alina@srcart.com.
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