La Casa de Bernarda Alba
Jay Wholley
2001
MATERIAL: metal: bronze
DIMENSIONS: overall: 96 in x 39 in x 34 1/2 in
EDITION: Unique
CREDIT: Grounds For Sculpture, Gift of The Seward Johnson Atelier
© Artist or Artist's Estate, photo: David W. Steele
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The forms, imagery, and casting techniques seen in Jay Wholley’s works are influenced by his interrelated interests in Mayan and Celtic cultures, and the geophysical processes that occur deep within the core of the earth. His sculptures metaphorically reflect the extraordinary magnitude of natural forces, as well as the history of various civilizations’ attempts to understand and integrate their existence with the surrounding power and mystery of the natural environment. The fissures, cracks and other "imperfections" link the casting process with those physical occurrences taking place under the earth’s crust, beyond man’s control.
The title of 'La Casa de Bernada Alba' refers to a play by the Spanish author Federico Garcia Lorca. The architectonic composition of this bronze work presents a contrast between slick, highly polished reflective surfaces and textured areas that are burnt and eroded in appearance, while also setting forth a metaphor representing the internal crumbling structure of the seven women in the play.
