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John Van AlstineJohn Van Alstine - Sisyphean Holiday 35 (Speckled Stone), Sculpture 20172017
2017
About the Item
Riverstone/ Pigmented and sealed steel
Stone and metal, usually granite or slate and found object steel are central in my sculpture. The interaction of these materials is a major focus. On the most basic level the work is about the marriage of the natural with the human-made.
Stone is used as an assemblage element, the way a welder uses steel, rather than in the traditional manner of subtraction. In contrast to the timelessness of stone, the found-object metal (sometimes cast bronze) is time-specific - 20th century industrial. The industrial / structural characteristics inherent in the metal are often employed to physically connect or suspend stone elements allowing a "choreographing" or "floating" of stone. At their best, a compelling visual / physical irony is created.
The works strives to communicate on a number of different levels; physical, symbolic, metaphorical. The duality of an eastern or oriental acceptance of stone and a 20th century industrial American “can do” attitude toward metal is central to the work and an important characteristic that distinguishes it.
JOHN VAN ALSTINE - ARTIST STATEMENT
SISYPHEAN HOLIDAY series
This dynamic new series is an extension of my ongoing SISYPHEAN CIRCLE series (2005-2016) which examines parallels between the Greek mythological character Sisyphus and the plight of the artist.
As we know from mythology because of a lifetime of transgressions when Sisyphus reached the underworld he was faced with the punishment of rolling a large stone up a steep hill, only to have it tumble back after reaching the top. This toil lasts all eternity and in some ways is a perfect metaphor for the creative process and especially applicable to those, like me, that use stone as a primary material.
Viewing the creative process simply as toil or a punishment however is obviously too narrow and negative. I prefer to see it in the context presented by Albert Camus, the French existentialist, in his essay The Myth of Sisyphus. Here Camus uses the myth to illustrate the idea that reaching ones final destination is not always the most important. If one reconsiders Sisyphus as he suggests, the struggle or journey reveals itself as ultimately the most meaningful - an idea that I, and many others, believe is central to the creative process and life in general.
After completing over 100 sculptures in the original Sisyphean Circle Series, a new direction has emerged - the SISYPHEN HOLIDAY series. I present these new works in a light hearted, “tongue in cheek” way that suggests offering Sisyphus (and me) a break or “holiday”. Here the "Sisyphean stone“ is placed in a vessel form, similar to an Adirondack guide boat or canoe, giving the sculpture a playful holiday twist.
John Van Alstine
This sculpture will be shipped directly from the artist's studio.
- Creator:John Van Alstine (1952, American)
- Creation Year:2017
- Dimensions:Height: 9 in (22.86 cm)Width: 14 in (35.56 cm)Depth: 4 in (10.16 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Greenwich, CT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU25114044802
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