Non-Talking Heads: Sergei Isupov @ Ferring Gallery

Russian sculptor Sergei Isupov may be the best thing to come tearing through the Berkshires city of Pittsfield, MA, for quite some time. And with his army of ceramic heads, Isupov may also be one of the more eccentric artists to happen by. Though they don't feature the menacing sneer of Shirley Manson, the pieces featured in "Androgyny" explore sexuality not by attempting to bend it, but by systematically stripping it away to the point where even those heads placed in more provocative positions fail to exude any emotion beyond weariness and ennui. And in his body of work, it becomes apparent that Isupov comes from a long line of Russians (Anton Chekhov, for example) who thrive in the juxtaposition between dark comedy and outright tragedy. "Androgyny" runs through October 4 at Ferrin Gallery.