SUPERFUNDING:

Vallot Auctioneers
Sep 21-24, 2023

SUPERFUNDING, the latest solo exhibition of sculptural work, projection art and photo prints by Rhode Island based installation artist Teddy Trocki-Ryba, will be on view from September 21st-24th at Vallot Auctioneers’ Westminster St Gallery, in Providence RI. The opening reception will be held on September 21st, 2023 from 5-9pm.

SUPERFUNDING features 3D printed sculptural landscapes made from found footage and photogrammetry. This series presents 3D printed representations of controversial and environmentally hazardous real-world locations, many of which are not publically accessible. Amongst the numerous off-limits locations featured in the series, Trocki-Ryba has chosen to focus on areas which are the subject of recent activism surrounding their negative impacts on the local environment, such as the Cop City site in Atlanta, East Palestine Train Derailment in Ohio, Red Hill Fuel Storage Depot in Hawaii, and the Project Willow Drilling Facility in Alaska’s National Petroleum Preserve.

The abstracted sculptural landscapes featured as part of SUPERFUNDING were created through the use of photogrammetry, a 3D scanning technique wherein a collection of photographs or video stills are fed into specialized software to create a 3D model. In order to create scans of these difficult to access locations, Trocki-Ryba used found video footage which was not originally intended to be used for 3D scanning, including Associated Press stock video, corporate promotional material and drone footage from independent investigators.

Trocki-Ryba’s sculptures are made from white 3D printed material and mounted to the gallery wall across from overhead projectors which ‘paint’ the sculptures and the surrounding wall space in ghostly animations that weave through the scanned landscapes, showing them in full photorealistic color. This ethereal and immersive installation-based viewing experience is paired with text panels containing descriptions of the history and environmental impact of each of the featured locations as well as QR codes which link to press coverage and AR-enabled models of the featured sites for further self-guided exploration. Also displayed in the gallery are 2D photo prints showing abstracted “texture” files which are generated in the 3D scanning process.

Project support for SUPERFUNDING has been provided by Autodesk's Boston Technology Center in the form of free and unlimited access to advanced additive manufacturing tools such as a Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 full color 3D printer and large scale Terabot 3D printer. Additional 3D printing has been completed at Trocki-Ryba's home studio using equipment he purchased for the purpose of printing single-color sculptures. Traditional photo printing has been completed on an Epson P8000 Inkjet photo printer with support from the Jamestown Arts Center.

This series seeks to provide context to the environmental ramifications of facilities and disasters which have been recently discussed on mainstream and alternative media. The goal of the series is to provide viewers a glimpse into these forbidden locations and engage them with a nonlinguistic critique of state and corporate power, exploring the concept of shared responsibility when it comes to preservation of our environment.

More information is available at https://vallots.com/, as well as on Instagram @rybatrockiteddy.

SUPERFUNDING: artist’s statement

SUPERFUNDING is an exploration of the deep entanglement between financial and political power, and the impact this dynamic has on the environment. By repurposing corporate promotional material, stock video from sources like AP, and drone video from independent investagators, I am able to recreate highly accurate 3D maps of controversial and environmentally hazardous locations with limited public access. Through this series of 3D printed sculptures, projection art and photo prints I aim to examine the unseen connections between corporate interests and government policy, and the ways in which these alliances perpetuate environmental degradation and social inequality.

The United States government has granted superfund status to over 1,300 sites contaminated by hazardous waste. These sites, often located in low-income communities, indigenous communities and communities of color, pose a serious threat to public health and the environment. The number of sites which pose a similar threat but do not qualify for Superfund status is even greater, yet the secret cost of their environmental impact is less publicly known.

Drawing inspiration from my ongoing interest in the opaque networks of wealth and influence that shape our world, I use advanced fabrication technologies and cutting-edge 3D imaging techniques to visualize the physical manifestations of the invisible forces at play in our economic and political systems. By exposing these locations, the real world representations of the relationships between government subsidies, corporate profits, and environmental harm, I aim to provoke critical reflection on the power structures that govern our society, and to inspire new visions for a more just and sustainable future.

Through SUPERFUNDING, I hope to create a space for dialogue and engagement around the urgent issues of our time, and to invite viewers to consider their own role in shaping the world we inhabit. By illuminating the hidden connections that underlie our social and economic systems, I believe that we can begin to envision new pathways towards a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

ABOUT VALLOT

Vallot Auctioneers was founded in 2003 as a fine art specialty auction house in lower Manhattan.  Vallot’s was one of the first specialized fine art auction houses in Manhattan.

Vallot has since expanded its offerings to include antiques, modern design, ethnographic works, LGBTQ+ historical ephemera, and a diverse range of other significant objects and compelling designs.

Vallot has sold works both at public auction and in private sales of important collections and noted works of art, setting numerous auction records.

We were one of the first auction houses to broadcast live online auctions. Auctions in the early 2000s included live internet bidding.  Some of the first auctions happened at the Salmagundi Art Club in New York where Vallot also auctioned important works from the club’s private collection.  In 2018, we were one of the first auction houses to offer a digital artwork at public auction.

Vallot’s focus has always been on bringing quality artworks and objects to the market and being an accessible and an easy forum for consignors and bidders.

We are still real people with real expertise, not just a computer program or platform.  We are in possession of every lot we sell because we don’t believe you can do an honest job as an auctioneer without inspecting and examining each lot.

In 2021 we moved our principal place of business to Providence, Rhode Island and we shortened our website name to Vallots.com to make it easier for bidders and consignors to find us.  As we continue to grow and expand, we will continue to introduce new innovative ways to conduct our auctions and we always welcome your feedback.

Michael Dym
Head Curator
Vallots Gallery & Auction House