Artist's Statement
October 20th, 2004
The Composition of this piece is clearly based on Henri Matisse’s 1910 The Dance II. The overall circular geometry produced by the prancing figures is one of the dominate features I strove to capture in my metallic interpretation. The dancers are almost replicas of Matisse’s forms but are stylized in some places to emphasize their curving movements.
Matisse’s painting shows only an extremely abstracted earth and sky, but I have chosen a design which echoes the figures and emphasizes the dancer’s motions. These maneuvers are indicated by the incised lines and surrounding negative space. This background space serves to not only outline the figures, but also allows the new panel to relate to the original ones.
The original concept behind this work is one of architectural integration. I wanted to create a piece that subtly impacted the existing design as a way of commenting on the architect’s original handrail concept. The non standard design of the Mars Arts building has a slightly “playful” touch but does not encourage aspiring artists who dwell within it. By replacing the standard panel with Matisse’s vibrant composition I hope to add some aesthetic intellect to the building. This abstraction of the architect’s concept is one that I hope to expand on in future works.
This sculpture is permanently on display at the Mars Fine Arts Center in Norton, MA.
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