Patricia Ayres’ practice relates to stories of isolation, separation, and confinement. She analyzes the mechanisms of physical and psychological control and restricts the body from the penal and organized religion systems. She makes anthropomorphic, totemic sculptures from fabric strips wrapped drawing on her knowledge and experience as a fashion designer. She brings materials and hardware from the fashion industry into her artwork.
Ayres attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (2019), received an MFA from Hunter College (Fall 2018), BFA from Brooklyn College and an A.A.S degree in Fashion Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology. Her work has been exhibited at Matthew Brown Gallery, Los Angeles; Fragment, Moscow, Russia; Liste Art Fair Basel, Switzerland; New Art Dealers Alliance; Koenig & Clinton Gallery, New York; Kornfeld Gallery, Berlin; Samuele Visentin, Turin, Italy (virtual); International Print Center New York; The College Art Association of America; The Bronx Council on the Arts: Longwood Gallery at Hostos Community College of The City University of New York and New York Art Residency and Studios Foundation. She was an artist-in-residence at at Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program; The Studios at MASS MoCA; Lower Manhattan Cultural Center; a nominee for the Rema Hort Mann Foundation Emerging Artist Grant; recipient of the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Sculpture; Sculpture Space Residency (forthcoming 2023) and Fountainhead Residency, Miami (forthcoming 2022). Ayres is currently an Artist-in-Residence with The Monira Foundation at Mana Contemporary.
EDUCATION
Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine, USA
MFA in Sculpture, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, USA
BFA, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, New York, USA
AAS Fashion Design, The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, USA
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection
AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2022 Fountainhead Residency (forthcoming), Miami, USA
2021 – 2022 Sculpture Space Residency, Utica (forthcoming), New York, USA
2020 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship, Craft/Sculpture
2019 – 2021 The Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program, New York, USA
2020 Lower Manhattan Cultural Center (LMCC), SU-CASA, Artist-in-Residence, New York, USA
2019 Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, Maine, USA
2019 Rema Hort Mann Foundation Emerging Artist Grant Nominee
2019 The Studios at MASS MoCA Artist-in-Residence, North Adams, USA
2012 Convergences, NARS, New York Art Residency & Studios, New York, USA
2011 Bridges, Trees, Skulls, Pies and Other Treasure Trails, NARS, New York Art Residency & Studios, New York, USA
2010 Ready, Set, Create, NARS, New York Art Residency & Studios, New York, USA
2007 Takt Kunstprojektraum Residency and Exhibition, Berlin, Germany
2007 The Tow Research Stipend, Brooklyn College, Berlin, Germany
2007 Charles G. Shaw Memorial Award for Artistic Excellence in Photography, Brooklyn College, New York, USA
2006 Cerf Award for Artistic Excellence in Sculpture, Brooklyn College, New York, USA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 Bound, Matthew Brown, Los Angeles, USA
2021 Safe Word, duo show, Fragment Gallery, Moscow, Russia
2020 Galerie Kornfeld, duo show, Berlin, Germany
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 ‘Affinità Elettive, Curated by Samuele Visentin, LoSpazio, Turin, Italy
2020 It Seems So Long Ago, Matthew Brown, Los Angeles, USA
2020 Galerie Kornfeld, Berlin, Germany
2019 Entering A Song, Koenig and Clinton Gallery, New York, USA
2018 MFA Thesis Exhibition, Hunter College, City University of New York, MFA, Tribeca, New York, USA
2017 Printfest (Regional MFA), International Print Center New York, New York, USA
2013 In the Realm of Dreams & Fears, Bronx Council On The Arts, Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos Community College of The City University of New York, New York, USA
2007 Honor Society Exhibition, Brooklyn College, New York, USA