“Modrak has explored the threads weaving together her brain-inspired and emotionally charged figurative work.  Her sculptures illuminate areas of the psyche that are revealed during unguarded moments or hidden in the recesses of our minds.  The painted plaster cast figures, derived from human, biological and organic forms, unmask larger themes of aging, family dynamics and neurological conditions.  Each sheds light in sculptural form on the complex neural and psychological circuitry involved in bringing to life our memories and experiences.  Together, this body of work weaves a story from internal brain mechanisms to external anthropomorphic form.” Fundamental Filaments, Hartnett Gallery:

Figures are a recurring source of inspiration and intrigue. The Standing series delved into the notion of in-between states psychologically and physically. The naked figures seem to be in a state of fright, agitation or expectancy – on the verge of a breakthrough or breakdown. Standing-by is waiting expectantly for something to occur, not certain if it will and unsure about what the outcome will be, and consequently a bit anxious about it. Similarly, her smaller cousin, I’m Here! is afraid that she may be overlooked due to her physical size or general apathy.

One Step Forward reflects the fierce determination involved in taking a step into uncharted territory. Kurt Shaw from the Pittsburgh Tribune wrote: “The blue figure, which has unusual eyes that have literally stopped visitors in their tracks, is poised in a forward moving gesture, as if walking. In this way, Modrak says it invokes notions of “crossing landscape, both internal, as in changing an unsatisfactory aspect of one’s life, and external, as in the courage to stand-up for one’s principles in the face of opposition.” Either way, it’s a real stand-out piece amongst the works on display”.

I’m Still Here is a resigned contemplation of her younger, former self, possibly even the self portrayed in I’m Here!. Aging is a recurring motif and explored from an interior perspective in When I’m Old and When I Was Young, sculptures in the Dendrites series.

While originating from personal stories, the Ancestor sculptures are meant to serve as archetypes, not portraits of specific individuals. The larger concepts concern the legacy of particular actions on future generations, alongside the nature of DNA and psychological inheritance.

Related press: From a Different Point of View, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Works in SciArt Magazine, NAWA Gold Medal of Honor Award, Polyfield Magazine, Multi @ Pen + Brush

Exhibitions include (select sculptures): Point Park University, Pen + Brush, NAWA, Midday Gallery, Art New York, The Hartnett Gallery Imprints, DUMBO Art Fair, Verge Art Fair, and The New Arts Center (archives are now part of the Smithsonian Institute).