I have a friend whose art collection includes found objects in nature. A piece of driftwood, carved, sanded and otherwise manipulated by the elements, makes for an amazing minimalist piece. So I was eager to see Zak Ostrowski’s solo show, specimen dissection, in which the artist creates dynamic abstract sculptures that maintain natural characteristics but incorporate his artistic style.

The merging of man-made and the natural results in stylistic painted wood on metal bases, redwood—chiseled, carved and sanded—“floating” on a metal bar, biomorphic forms inspired by caves and multispecies woods on metal rods resembling a minimalist cityscape.

Ostrowski researched exotic wood and deforestation, finding recycled remnants—red heart, purple heart, spalted tamarind, cocobolo, Jamaican blue mahoe, sea hibiscus—to put nature, its history and its future on a pedestal in an enchanting exhibit.