Form, Subject, and Sculpture

What qualities must sculpture possess to be evocative?

Should the form mirror a true life image or simply imply one?

Should the subject matter appeal to the observer’s interests or are preconceived ideas irrelevant?

I chose sculpture as the venue because the combination of visual, tactile, and three dimensions in a single art form intrigue me.

My prompts address the questions I ask myself when I first view a sculpture. Do I see something in the form? Am I interested in what I see? Does the sculpture provoke a response in me?

The images in this PhotoVoice display become less distinct as they progress. The initial sculptures provoke an immediate reaction. The bust of the horse is “proud” and “noble” in my mind. I hope the boy gets the thorn out of his foot. The child means the world to the mother. Yet, as the sculptures’ forms became less recognizable, I was forced to wonder more. Why would someone sculpt grotesque heads? The wire horse seems like it is searching for something. Will it find it? Is the silhouette a mermaid? The orb in the flame like thing reminds me of something. What is it? The blockish, blue piece is working so hard to become something. If I come back in a half an hour, what will it be? The monolith is solid like a strong memory, but which memory is it?

I like them all not simply because they take my eye, but because they take my imagination. The world falls away as I contemplate their forms, subject matter, and my emotions. Perhaps “wonder” is the quality that makes sculpture evocative.