你知道吗如果没有蝙蝠仅北美地区就将遭受超过每年3.7百万美元的农业损失?至少134种对人类有益的植物依赖蝙蝠的授粉和播种?以及，没有驴子的话，发生在19世纪由早期疆域开拓者对美国西部进行的开发探险将无从实现?

　　驴和蝙蝠，无疑在最被人们低估的动物榜单上。关于驴子，这种长期以来被用作驮兽的生物，没有它们，几乎所有伟大文明的建筑、工艺，民族的生存都无以成立，它们本是神奇的动物，但其形象长期以来却因人们的刻板印象而受到压抑。而关于蝙蝠，它们的授粉造就了今日我们所食用的大多数蔬果，同时也控制了害虫的数量。然而对它们的贡献，人类回报的却是加速破坏它们的栖地，并将它们冠以携带狂犬病的污名。Copper最关心那些“被误解”的动物，她的创作中以驴子与蝙蝠为主题的作品是最多的。“我们欠这些动物一份感激与尊重。”艺术家如是说。

　　Copper致力从各种不同面呈现动物雕塑作品，既呈现动物的一面，也将之变化为人的形貌，她始终努力打破动物与人类之间的隔阂。她作品里的蝙蝠和驴子会“说话”，会讲故事，分享智慧，既是怪咖又荣耀无比，内心既平和又正直。雕塑所捕捉的静态中，它们似乎在向我们详述整个进化历史，它的困境、忍耐和生存。它们的美好是由内散发的一种觉悟，即无论人类还是动物，黑人还是白人，男人还是女人，都渴望相同的东西──做自己的同时被发现、被关注、被认同。

　　Copper童年在60年代的乔治亚州度过，在那里以貌取人十分普遍，甚至把外貌的不同直接视为潜在的危险。那里的人们困在对他人的肤浅偏见里，无法自救。也许正是这种环境使得Copper对受压迫者格外同情，对受歧视的、被误解的群体能感同身受。现在她的作品充分彻底地体现了这一点。她选择雕塑的这些被贬低的动物充满力量、威严，甚至是华丽的。但同时又散发着柔情、细腻、温暖的气息。观看她作品的人，可能都是第一次真正近距离观察驴子或蝙蝠这两种动物。只有放下原有的刻板印象，才能质问之前成见是否正确。相信多数人都会由此对这些动物心生爱怜和尊重。

　　2011年Copper移居泰国专注她的雕塑事业。并已成功地在美国、中国和台湾等多地画廊展出自己的作品。当被问及为什么做雕塑，她回答，为什么我要呼吸呢?对她而言雕刻就是这么自然而然、必不可少。这对我们来说是万幸，因为观赏她的作品犹如醍醐灌顶。

　　对于Philippe Staib Gallery菲利浦画廊(上海和台北)的创始人菲利浦•史泰博先生(Philippe Staib)而言，“Copper Tritscheller作为一位来自美国南部的自学成才的雕塑家来讲，在艺术表达和雕塑技巧上很有天赋，也十分成熟。她绝妙地雕塑出那些动物，并以一种吊诡地真实鞭策我们突破自我、打开想象空间。好的艺术就该这样。而Copper正是这样做到了!你总能从她的作品里看到惊奇，产生共鸣。我们画廊对于能支持并与这样的艺术家合作而深感荣幸!”

　　荣耀：Copper Tritscheller 雕塑展  于菲利浦画廊(上海)展出

　　展览时间：2014年11月8日至12月28日

　　开幕式及艺术家交流会：2014年11月8日下午3点

　　Are you aware that loss of bats merely in North America could lead to agricultural losses estimated at more than $3.7 billion/year? And that at least 134 plants beneficial to mankind are dependent on bats for pollination and seed dispersal? Also that without burros the territory geological exploration by prospectors in the 19th century the Western United States would have happened so much later?

　　Animals like burros and bats, are definitely among most underrated species by people. As a pack animal, the burro has been the backbone in building most civilizations. By carrying loads greater than themselves, they made moving, building and creating possible. They're amazing yet we've reduced them to a stereotype. The bats pollination efforts are responsible for most of the fruit we eat today. They help control the insect population. In return, we're rapidly destroying their natural habitats and have branded them all as rabies carriers. Drawn to what she considers the "misunderstood" animal, much of Copper Tritscheller’s work centers on burros and bats. "We owe these animals our thanks and respect," said the artist.

　　Copper approaches her subjects from all angles, playing on them both as animals, as well as morphing them with human figures. She is constantly pushing the barrier between animal and human. In her sculpture, bats and burros communicate. They tell a story. They share their wisdom. They are at once whimsical and proud, peaceful and of integrity. She has captured them at a moment in time when they seem to recount for us their long developmental histories, their plights, their endurance and survival. The beauty of these creatures radiates from within, an awareness that we all, animal or human, black or white, male or female, want the same thing. To be noticed, seen, appreciated for who we are.

　　Copper grew up in Georgia US in the 1960s, where people who looked different were thought to be different, or worse,threatening.People were trapped in their superficial views of one another, views they couldn’t somehow get beyond. Perhaps this is where her sympathy for the underdog began, her sensitivity to how it must feel to be thought of as less, or dangerous. For it comes out loud and clear in her work now. The “lowly” animals she has chosen to portray are powerful, majestic, and even regal.And yet, at the same time they are tender, sensitive, sweet. Observing her work, the viewer, perhaps for the first time, gets to really see a burro or a bat up close. Gets to see far beyond stereotype, and thus to question their former attitudes toward these animals. It would be the rare person who doesn’t come away with new feelings of affection and respect.

　　In 2011 Copper moved to Thailand to focus on sculpting. Her body of work continues to grow and can be found in galleries in the US,China and Taiwan. When asked why she sculpts, she responds, “Why do I breath?” It is that natural for her, that elemental and necessary. Which is a good thing for us, because to view Copper’s work is to be enlightened.

　　For PHILIPPE STAIB - founder of Philippe Staib Gallery in Shanghai and Taipei, “As a self-taught sculptor from the Southern America, Copper Tritscheller is extremely gifted in regards to artistic expression and skills. She subtly portrays the chosen animals, and tells a strange sort of truth that pushes our limits and stretches our imagination. All that good art should do. And Copper does it! One can always expect wonder from her work that resonates with our senses. She corresponds exactly to the type of artists that our gallery is proud to support and work with. ”

　　PROUD | BY COPPER TRITSCHELLER @ Philippe Staib Gallery Shanghai

　　Exhibition from 8.11.14 till 28.12.14

　　Opening and artist talk at 8.11.14 3pm