As I get older and continue
to make sculpture I am becoming more aware of the importance
of form and material. At this point the
forms I am making are making all the former forms prototypes of forms, almost
pseudo forms or posed forms mimicking forms.
It does not devalue all my past forms but only clarifies the truth of
form.
I had an experience that has
made me think deeply about form, archetypes, types and proto-types. I am working on a sculpture that celebrates
the contribution of the Black community in the success of the community I live
in. I have been trying to get funding
for this piece for several years and have finally acquired enough to start moving
the creating process forward. Fifteen
years ago I made a large work with Corinthian columns, lentils and large arch
as another celebration of the members of my community. Last week I was meeting with several leading members of the African American community and they wanted to know if my
new work was going to be better than the work with the columns. I assured them that it is the intent of every
artist that each new work be more than all prior works. I also assured them that this new work was
substantially more in a very important way.
Corinthian columns were types of forms that represent the pinnacle of
Greek and Roman understanding of culture.
On the other hand boulders were the most ancient and spoke of all
cultures understanding of our relationship to the earth and our world. This moved them into the most excellent types
and that is archetypes; they are markers of the human race, the only true race
of our earth.
I have thought long on this
truth and am now wondering what form will make boulders prototypes?
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| An iron stained archetype we saw in Alaska years ago. |
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