Unearthed

Reviews / Votes

'Stephen Talasnik's work rewards the attentive viewer, for the sculpture has a quietly commanding power and the graphics exhibit exquisite virtuosity. Spare in his vocabulary, Talasnik is, nonetheless, dramatic in his ambitions.' - Mark Rosenthal, independent curator


'The beauty of Stephen Talasnik's work is in its play of scale. A tabletop sculpture or drawing can appear as intricate as the universe, while an outdoor installation can slither or bloom with the simplicity of nature. This book shows you the ways and whys of these absorbing effects without reducing their mystery, whetting the appetite to experience his architectural creations in person.' - Alexandra Lange, author of The Design of Childhood


'Whenever Stephen Talasnik and I walk down city streets or forest paths together, I am always fascinated to see what captures his attention - the complex web of scaffolding surrounding the dome of City Center in New York, the scrim of fabric obscuring the face of a building in Tokyo, the variable repetition in oak leaves on a single tree. Unearthed captures Stephen's vision and work with stunning photographs and thoughtful critiques, allowing all of us to experience the beauty and mystery of his art.' - Julie Burstein, author of Spark: How Creativity Works


'Talasnik's remarkable variety of mark-making and gradations of black and gray tones in graphite and charcoal imbue his drawings with an extraordinary life force - alternately evocative of micro-organisms or vast cosmic entities. The visceral sense of growth and movement that pulsates through his drawings echoes the dynamic relationships between his complex three-dimensional constructions and their environments which often produce cast shadows, reflections, and other unexpected interactions.' - Shelley Langdale, The Park Family Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings Philadelphia Museum of Art


'On my first visit to his studio, I was captivated by the fluid motion and movement in Stephen's work, and the almost impossible nature of their manifestation in the real world. Our collaboration on Satellite #5: Pioneer is a wonderful exploration of the art of engineering, and the engineering of art. Moreover, the realization is an exploration of space and non-space, building and non-building, which changes constantly with your visual point of view.' - Raj Patel, Fellow, Arup


'I have long admired Stephen Talasnik's imaginative work. It is a treat to see so much of it pictured and described in such an outstanding book as Unearthed.' - Henry Petroski, author of To Engineer Is Human