Tucked away in the Brookland neighborhood, you will find Sue Wrbican’s studio. Sue Wrbican is a notable artist who lives and works in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Her studio is located in the Monroe Street ArtsWalk.
Sue Wrbican’s art explores the intersections of the environment, economics, labor, and surrealism. She often creates towering sculptures inspired by surrealist Kay Sage. Wrbican’s “Buoyant Force” was installed at Tephra ICA in Reston Town Center. Another sculpture, “The Eventual Outcome of an Instant,” was on display at the Seligmann Center in Sugar Loaf, NY.
Sue Wrbican has an impressive background. She earned an MFA in Photography from the Rhode Island School of Design. She also holds a BA in English Writing with a concentration in poetry from the University of Pittsburgh.
Before dedicating herself fully to art, Wrbican worked in a steel mill. She also spent time at Morgan Stanley. These experiences inform her unique artistic perspective. She mines narratives from these experiences to create compelling situations.
Wrbican is also dedicated to collaboration. She is a founding member of the Floating Lab Collective. This art organization has exhibited work in venues around the world. These venues include ZKM in Karlsruhe, Germany, and the Nathan Cummings Foundation in NYC.
Sue Wrbican has been an artist in residence at several prestigious programs. These include the Robert Rauschenberg Residency and the Kala Art Institute. She also held a residency at The Atlantic Center for the Arts.
In 2008, Sue Wrbican collaborated with Mary Carothers on “The Frozen Car.” This project addressed gas consumption and environmental concerns. Wrbican’s video “Back Roof” is part of Miranda July’s Joanie 4 Jackie Archive at the Getty Research Institute.
In the fall of 2017, she presented her extensive artistic exploration into the work of Kay Sage. This exhibition was held at the Greater Reston Art Center, now known as Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art.
Sue Wrbican also teaches in the School of Art at George Mason University. She is currently the Director of the Photography program there.
In 2020, Sue Wrbican created “Buoyant Force”. In this exhibit she curated female artists to create predictions via QR code on her sculpture. These same artists exhibited their physical works at Mason Exhibitions and Tephra ICA’s Signature Gallery in the Fall of 2022 and Spring of 2023.
Visiting Sue Wrbican’s studio offers a glimpse into her creative process. It provides a chance to see her unique vision firsthand. Her work reflects a deep engagement with pressing contemporary issues. It combines personal history with broader cultural concerns.