W-6: “Mixed State” by Claire R Lynch. June 4-27, 2025
Show Dates: June 4 - June 27
Opening Reception: June 14, 6-9pm
The majority of Claire R. Lynch’s work is an abstract exploration of the symptoms she experiences as part of her bipolar disorder. In her exhibition Mixed State, Lynch reflects on the complexities of mixed state episodes—periods marked by the simultaneous experience of depression and mania. These episodes often manifest as intense aggression and rapid, intrusive thoughts.
As this is the state she encounters most frequently, Lynch has spent the past 14 years developing the ability to recognize early warning signs and apply cognitive behavioral strategies to manage her condition and prevent escalation. Her sculptures in this series capture the delicate balance she strives to maintain during these episodes. Visually compelling, the works are at once beautiful and fragile—shiny and alluring, yet twisted, imbalanced, and sharp.
Lynch employs techniques that distort and reshape her materials, transforming them from their original forms into unnaturally elegant structures. The resulting sculptures embody the tension between internal chaos and outward control, inviting viewers to engage with the emotional and psychological realities that inspire her practice.
Claire R Lynch was born in Arlington, Virginia and began her sculpture practice while at Stanford University. Lynch graduated in 2014 with a BA in Art Practice and was the recipient of the Louis Sudler Prize for Performing and Creative Arts from Stanford University. In 2014, Lynch moved her practice to San Francisco, California, where she completed residencies at Recology and Root Division, and was the recipient of the Blau-Gold Fellowship. In 2017, Lynch returned to the east coast to pursue her MFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in the Rinehart School for Sculpture program. At MICA, Lynch was the recipient of the Perna Krick ‘31 and Reuben Kramer ‘32 Fellowship, the Amalie Rothschild ‘34 Fellowship, the Sidney Lake Award, Outstanding Student-Achievement Nomination, and the Graduate Merit Scholarship. Lynch graduated with her MFA in spring of 2019. In 2024, Lynch became a studio artist at the Workhouse Arts Center in Virginia