Stephen Wolochowicz’s work, featured in one of several shows at the Visual Arts Institute as part of NCECA, invites viewers into a world of carefully orchestrated ambiguity. His sculptures, or “torps,” as he calls them, are purposefully vague, hovering between industrial relic, sci-fi artifact, and playful contraption. Each piece rewards patient looking, revealing layers of references and possibilities.

The Weber State University professor describes his work as an intersection of industrialization, astrophysics, humor, politics and games. A lot of these influences seem to simmer below the surface, if you’re willing to wander within. The forms recall fragments of functional objects: pipes, fire alarms, gas canisters, exhaust vents—devices that suggest movement, expansion, and pressure. The viewer is drawn into a visual game of “what if.” What if this could be activated? What if it’s building toward eruption or deflation? What if it’s both artifact and prototype?

Texture plays a crucial role in creating this intrigue. Many of the surfaces are stippled with small dots, creating a delicate contrast to the dense, heavy forms. These details, almost like rivets or mechanical fasteners, give the sculptures a tactile allure, as if they were precision engineered relics from another world. The glazes range from vibrant, candy-like oranges and cobalt blues to muted bronzes and palladium tones, further complicating their identities: Are these futuristic tools or ceremonial objects from a forgotten civilization or alien world?

Three circular wall-mounted artworks displayed side by side, each covered in meticulously dotted patterns in blue, orange, and silver hues on a cream-colored gallery wall.

Some forms resemble inflated pillows or inverted bottles, others look like pressurized tanks about to release energy. Red buttons and metallic braces add to the mechanical illusion, but their true function remains a mystery. The ambiguity is intentional; these objects are not meant to resolve but to provoke.

Wolochowicz’s largest sculptures, standing about four feet tall, occupy the center of the gallery space with quiet authority. Set against the brick walls of the Visual Arts Institute, they feel simultaneously ancient and futuristic, like salvaged components from an imagined history. They encourage us to slow down, observe, and wonder: Could a lever be pulled? Is gas expanding within? Could these forms collapse or inflate?

Perhaps most impressive is the technical mastery that underpins these works. The scale, complexity and flawless execution make it hard to believe these objects are made entirely of clay. There’s a playfulness in both the making and the naming (with titles like “Orange Colorflage Torp”) that reminds us not to take them too seriously, but to remain curious. In the end, Wolochowicz’s work sits in the perfect tension between science fiction and ritual, absurdity and reverence.

Stephen Wolochowicz, Visual Art Institute, South Salt Lake, through March 30. Reception: Thu, Mar 27, 6pm–9pm.

All images courtesy of the author.

Nolan Flynn

Raised in a creative Michigan household, Nolan Patrick Flynn developed an early passion for art. He moved to Utah to pursue an MFA at the University of Utah and continues to create art out of his Salt Lake City studio and teach high school art at Stansbury High School.