The sculpture by Elisa D'Arrigo now on view – unfortunately only through Sunday, May 7 – at FiveMyles Gallery in Brooklyn is a force of nature. More accurately, it is a force of a very human hand transforming simple man-made materials such a cloth, ceramic, wire, acrylic paint and graphite into naturalistic forms that simultaneously embody growth and decay, emote prehistoric artifacts while existing much in our present day, have a demanding presence of weight and form, and project a palpable presence. Made in the 1990’s (except for the 2005 wall hanging), they presage Elisa’s more widely-known current ceramic sculpture in their use of abstract metaphor to communicate the intangible mysteries of creation, the fragility of existence and the human – oh so human – touch within. With its gray walls and low lighting, the gallery creates the perfect dramatic home to this commanding – and similarly mostly gray – sculpture. If you can take the trip, you will be rewarded with what you find, especially since these photos do not convey the sculptures' power. If you stay through the evening, on Saturday and Sunday, you will be gifted with a performance by Mark Lafia and others, described on the website as “incantatory tales [that] are a transport for the mystic’s loss of self into the sheer joy of being, spinning enveloping yarns with a tempest of dance and drama.” Check website for more info and times.