Evan Kolker

Evan Kolker is best known for his sculpture series depicting various species of Nepenthes – or pitcher plants. “Not only are they morphologically different from most other plant life, but their survival strategies seem to flip our conception of how the food chain is structured, further emphasizing the ingenuity and unpredictability of Mother Nature,” he states about these carnivorous plants.

Statement: I have had a lifelong fascination with the biodiversity of our planet, from the most basic microbes to the great beasts of land and sea. This started with early childhood memories of flipping over loose stones and logs in the woods to discover bustling cities of insects, spiders, snakes and salamanders. A miniature metropolis of different forms of life from our own. Familiar yet alien at the same time. There exists in all of us a rich narrative, an ever-flowing story about our sense of place in Mother Nature and the greater universe. We project meaning and character on the shapes of the cosmos, into the crevices and cracks of the earth. We anthropomorphize and empathize with the creatures we encounter and devour. There is ancient primal wisdom inherent in all the forms of nature, and the more you peel back the petals the more intricacy you discover.

Evan Kolker is a sculptor working primarily in glass and metals and lives in Oakland, CA. Working with glass for more than 20 years, the majority of his artworks are created using glassblowing and hot sculpting techniques, while his knowledge of sculpting metal contributes to his detailed and life-like sculptures.

Evan Kolker is represented by Montague Gallery, San Francisco, CA in Booth F17