Wrapped Form 14
Artist
Ben Tré, Howard
(American, 1949 - 2020)
Date1998
OriginUnited States of America
MediumCast glass, lead, patina, steel
Dimensions48 1/2 × 17 1/2 × 17 1/2 in. (123.2 × 44.5 × 44.5 cm)
ClassificationsGlass
Credit LineGift of Carolyn K. and Richard F. Barry III
Object number2017.53
Label TextHoward Ben Tré (American, born 1949)
Wrapped Form 14
Mold-melted glass, lead, and bronze, 1998
Gift of Carolyn K. and Richard F. Barry, III
The ritual wrapping of sacred objects is fundamental to the process of spiritual transcendence during prayer in many cultures. It reinforces the protective and secretive nature especially of sacred figures. Ben Tre regards the stylized sculptures of this series as surrogates of human spiritual essence, as lingams - abstract figural forms he renders with balanced proportion and geometry. The solid glass emits a greenish, translucent light that endows their dense, sculptural mass with a quiet presence of universal humanity. Internal fissures and a matte, pitted surface emphasizes their transcending, ancient qualities.
Status
On view
