For Immediate Release:

"Under the Sea" by Bill Scanga at Jay Grimm Gallery, Chelsea

Bill Scanga's "Under the Sea" will be on view at Jay Grimm Gallery, 505 West 28th Street, from April 22nd through June 5, 1999.

"Under the Sea", based on theme-park underwater fantasies, is composed of two related sculptures: a piranha warbling an electronic lullaby, and a chorus of seahorses, which accompany the fish with ambient music. The multi-layered audio element consists of original songs and music by Scanga in collaboration with Michael Gibbons of the band Bardo Pond.

The creatures themselves are made from dried specimens of the actual animals, which are attached to machines that make them sing and swim. To enhance the experience of being underwater, the gallery will be painted dark blue and illuminated by light filtered through rippling water.

Scanga's animatrons reference methods of display employed by the natural history museum as well as traditions of mechanized narrative environments.His work juxtaposes a caustic yet affectionate anthropomorphism with an ostensibly empirical scientific inquiry, resulting in a surprising frisson of humorous and philosophical bemusement.

This is Bill Scanga's second solo show in New York City. His work is currently included in "Sliding Scale", curated by Ron Platt at the South East Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Scanga was recently shown in "Scale: Relatively Speaking" at Art in General, New York, and in "A Closer Look" at Beaver College, Philadelphia.

This is the fourth exhibition at Jay Grimm Gallery, which opened last Fall. Two group shows of painting are planned for the summer.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11-7 P.M. Please contact the Gallery at 212.564.7662 for images and additional information.