Object Details
Artist
James Surls, born Terrell, TX 1943
Gallery Label
Black and White Tipped Flower captures the tornadoes, black earth, and tenacious animal energy of the Piney Woods of southeast Texas. Surls grew up in a house that his father built, and his art comes out of a lifetime of working with hand tools and "making do." He believes that everything he creates is both a self-portrait and an image of the land that shaped him. Flower is scary and comical, an animal-plant-man-creature rising from the thickets and looking for a mate. It calls to mind Surls's goal to be "a hump-backed beast with golden hands," unafraid to tap into the life-force of his home ground for images that tickle and terrify.Exhibition Label, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2006
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase and gift in honor of Adelyn Dohme Breeskin from her friends
Date
1982
Object number
1986.52
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Sculpture
Medium
burnt white oak
Dimensions
approx. 57 1/2 x 39 x 37 in. (146.0 x 99.0 x 94.0 cm.) irregular
See more items in
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department
Painting and Sculpture
On View
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor, W310
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Topic
Abstract
Object\flower
Link to Original Record
Record ID
saam_1986.52