Since the 1970s, Mel Kendrick has been pushing the limits of sculpture by breaking shit apart and putting it back together. With a collection of chainsaws and other tools at the ready, the modernist artist employs a variety of materials—wood, rubber, concrete, and more—in service of his playful creations. Or are they creatures? 

Reconstructed inside-out, in clusters, or in newfangled arrangements like mismatched puzzle pieces, the resulting multi-dimensional forms often resemble otherworldly figures dancing, twirling, and defying gravity—a skillful infusion of motion into static objects. Another hallmark of Kendrick’s decades-long experimentation is the fabrication scars laid bare for the viewer to witness, the cuts and paint splatters and oil stains serving as an archeological record of his process. Approximately 60 of these sculptures, along with a selection of table-top miniature versions, or sculptural “sketches,” and cast paper pieces and photographs are on full display at this sweeping exhibition at the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.