Is this an expression of connection
with our spiritual selves?
Is this metaphor?
All these physical, bodily parts
Interconnected,
Interwoven.
Everyone part of everyone else.
Man is woman.
Woman is man.
Old are young.
Young old.
All one.
The embedded rock appears to be significant too.
Every curve in the piece, significant,
if we can just awaken to personal interpretation, personal inner expression.
And to think, I thought at one point that it would become a stump with legs and toes.
Days pass
Still working on the “Intellect/spiritual” piece. I am recognizing all sorts of symbolism in the piece and I am finding the experience to be unusual in a sense that I am surprised at how much I am reading into, or getting out of the experience of the piece. For example the very old metal wheel rim and engine cover are symbolically representative of triumphs of the intellect. The Model T, a beautiful metaphor, a triumph of the utilization of human intellect.
Neither the engine cover nor the wheel rim can be removed easily from the wood portions of the sculpture just as our intellect is integral to us as humans. Each piece connected, integral to the whole. Metaphorically similar, within the human form, intellect remains connected to the metaphorical root, the spirit, with the maple tree possibly representing the natural, possibly the spiritual. While sculpting and physically manipulating the piece, as the metal wheel rim is only loosely attached, I have to find physical ways of keeping the metal intellect pieces from damaging the spiritual aspects of the piece. That is another metaphor I’m sure. I look forward to my solutions.
Another note
More contemplation, more speculation on meaning.
The intellect, the embedded engine cover and the wheel rim visible and blatant above the earth’s surface. Below the surface, roots, originally found mostly buried, functioned naturally as the source of nourishment, sustenance.
The human forms expressed within the sculpture morph, transform, sometimes male, sometimes female, all with a good deal of subtlety.
The more spiritual side seen by only those who have the eyes to see, the courage to speculate, only by those who take the time to investigate. I question how much of my casual interpretation to share, to volunteer. Considering that I do desire to share. I believe as well that it is important to finding meaning for oneself, at one’s own pace. I will enjoy the viewers interacting with the sculpture.
I visualize the interaction to be a rewarding experience. There is as well a sharp part of the piece that has the potential to pierce and to hurt. It is part of the upper portion of the sculpture. Another portion of that upper part is hollow, a possible metaphor there too. I may fill it up with something.
As I read my notes years later, I chuckle that of course the intellect is eager to fill up the spaces with something yet it has me wondering about the possibilities of intuitive expression and my reluctance, my resistance, to totally accept the intangible.