Essays on Art - Cont'd

THE PROCESS OF ART: “GOOD VS. GREAT SCULPTURE”.

SOME THOUGHTS

“ZigZag Crater – Eruption”

What makes for good, or better yet, great glass sculpture?

For me at least, the best glass sculpture has at least three elements – great color, interesting form, and a background narrative for the piece and its creation that gives depth to the viewing experience. (See the previous page on this website, or my essay in last year’s International Catalogue for some further thoughts on these criteria).

However, I think great glass sculpture, and sculpture in general, irrespective of medium, expresses at least one more conceptual dimension that elevates “good” sculpture to the level of “great” -- and that is motion.

By motion, I mean two things: First the piece itself expresses action in its very conception, in its form and even color. The piece is conceived and executed with the desire to express some form of movement. It is the antithesis of static. In the classical arena, this concept was brilliantly captured by the late-period Greeks building on their Cycladic and Mycenae sculptural heritage with dynamic versions of their subjects, for example: The Discus Thrower, Laocoon and His Sons wrestling with snakes, and even “simple” standing figures (late period Kouros) that look as if they are just about to stride off into the distance on some great journey.

Second, and most importantly, motion refers to the movement by the viewer’s eyes as he contemplates the piece. For me, a great piece of sculpture never lets the viewer’s eye rest. There is always more to see, more to appreciate, more to be experienced by looking and re-looking at, over, and through the sculpture. It is almost as if the eye cannot get enough of the viewing experience.

Great glass sculpture has this effect on me. No matter where I look at such pieces, there is always something new to experience and appreciate in the sculpture’s color, form, and concept.

ZigZag Crater: Eruption was conceived as an expression of these principles, especially motion. It ‘s the second piece in the Crater Series – inspired by the Earth Art of the 70’s, and especially James Turrell. I hope you can see the molten lava boiling around inside the crater and spilling down the mountain’s sides, and the beginning of the eruption event. I hope you walk around the piece, experience both the interior and exterior, and think about the wonder and power of such a force of nature -- in motion. If you have that viewing experience, I will be more than content.