Object Details
Artist
Hawkins Bolden, born Memphis, TN 1914-died Memphis, TN 2005
Gallery Label
Hawkins Bolden’s sculptures make a bold statement about confronting challenge with creativity. Human in scale, dotted with multiple “eyes,” raw, rusted, tattered, and soiled, they are both arresting and discomfiting.
Bolden was blinded in a childhood accident. He took to sculpting, creating a population of scarecrow-like sentinels to protect the family vegetable garden from the birds. He used cast-off forms salvaged from around the neighborhood—reinventing both the junked items and himself.
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William Arnett
Date
1987
Object number
1993.1.1
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Sculpture
Folk Art
Medium
galvanized iron, cotton, wood, wire, straw
Dimensions
38 x 17 1/2 x 44 in. (96.5 x 44.5 x 111.8 cm)
See more items in
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department
Painting and Sculpture
On View
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1st Floor, West Wing
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Topic
Figure
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Link to Original Record
Record ID
saam_1993.1.1