Another interesting difference is that this statue bothers me. Asher sees it as representing a vitality so intense neither hands nor head are needed to give it life. I see it as a woman reduced to body only, objectified.
Whatever, Asher has created a very provocative image here.
Hello Rachel,
My object was simply to stop for a moment and take advantage of the setting sun glowing from the end of Rodeo drive, between grand artistic buildings on the left and more simple industrial forms on the right. The sculpture just happened to be in a position to unify, or at least link, these disparate elements. So this is
not meant to be a celebration of Graham's work, but rather of the diverse complex imagery of and in this neighborhood.
Robert Graham has done a lot of work in bonze. I'll search out more of his work to put this in context. His nudes are widely loved and collected. There's a gate freestanding in the Music Center plaza which stands above Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, and that has many figures embedded in it. Just remember that the Stainless Steel-clad artistic marvel,
The Walt Disney Concert Hall was underway since 2009 and being completed in 2003.
© Asher Kelman Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall
Do not copy or download
The cladding with steel coming to L.A. was the buzz around town for over 5 years. So this was the context in which Robert Graham installed the nude torso in the center of Beverly Hills. In a way, he brought the curved riveted steel plates of Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall masterpiece to the center of Beverly Hills to be celebrated on his nude, every day! Whether or not that was his conscious intention or not, I have not discovered, but certainly, that's what he did given the Iconic stature of the Frank Gehry building. Now Ken thinks he was having a big joke on the city, and as he says, that would be hilarious, but that seems just fun and speculation!
Graham. made numerous nude figures, some in sexual congress and others on their own. So there's a library of forms that one can draw on when looking at his work.
So meeting this new work in steel, Graham's previous, (complete and perfect), female forms come to mind. What's new here is the scale and the new patched riveted steel plate medium. Yes, there's more to startle one's attention in that her arms and her head is missing! But I don't believe he objectifies women. That, I think, would be a mistaken reading of his intent. It's more about trusting us. He only shows us a portion and allows
us to add some identity we might need at that visit. When artists trust us to do that, I feel that's generous. Still, folk may be shocked that the female anatomy is quite specific, but I'm sure that most have not even noticed that.
Asher