The exhibition Faktura / Tektonika presents a selection of works highlighting two foundational components of early 20th-century Constructivism: Faktura, the material properties of an object, and Tektonika, an object’s spatial presence.

In the lineage of the Constructivist movement, the exhibition foregrounds artists who emphasize material and form as active forces in artistic production. Through a range of practices that include the use of industrial media, alternative photographic processes, and an exploration of the self-reflexive properties of a chosen material, the works on view investigate the ways in which surface, structure, and perception intersect.

Bringing together artists from within and beyond the gallery’s program, Faktura / Tektonika draws connections between emerging and established artists across multiple generations in the enduring spirit of this revolutionary movement in the history of art. 

Works of Mexican artist Jose Dávila are a highlight of the show. Dávila has embarked on a career-long investigation into how the modernist movement continues to be interpreted, appropriated, and reinvented. His works on view address the tenets of architecture, art history, and physical geometry.

Dávila has always been fascinated with Josef Albers’ renowned theories on the perception and interaction of color through a mathematically determined format of squares. He advances Albers inquiry by establishing the square as a three-dimensional object, existing in a dynamic state of motion.

The artist is also known for his hallmark glass and marble floor sculptures. The sculptures expand upon Joint Effort – Dávila’s ongoing series of gravity defying works utilizing readily available building materials. Juxtaposing these materials in a literal and metaphorical moment of tension, the works create a powerful interplay of fragility and strength, balance and equilibrium.

FAKTURA / TEKTONIKA
SEAN KELLY GALLERY
NEW YORK
Through 01 August 2025

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