what did it remind me of?
viewed from the hill above: a bullet chamber? collection of brass knuckles? up close, it reminded me of the palisades or some rocky, craggy escarpment out west. it seemed so an "american landscape" i assumed the artist was native american.
but this piece-- for paul, 1990-92/2001--is by german-born artist, ursula von rydingsvard. in an interview for art21, she describes her early childhood in post-ww II refugee camps, and how those experiences influence her woodwork, materials, and technique. this massive, intricate structure is made of 4' x 4' cedar wood planks, individually cut to varied lengths, then methodically glued and rubbed with graphite.
