Legacy
Gordon Gund
2010
MATERIAL: metal: bronze
DIMENSIONS: overall: 70 1/2 in x 48 in x 30 1/4 in
EDITION: Unique
CREDIT: Collection of the Artist
© Artist or Artist's Estate, photo: David W. Steele
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"This sculpture was inspired by whelk shells washed up on the beach at high tide. It is an abstract interpretation of the many dimensions of an imagined relationship between two ethereal shapes sculpted over years by small organisms. The power of almost touching, respect for the beauty of the other, love..." - Gordon Gund
Gund was born sighted and studied art in his youth but as a young adult he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that eventually left him blind. As a boy in Nantucket, he became familiar with marine life; images of fish and shells made an indelible impression on him. Retaining those shapes in his mind, he has been able to create works on these themes by touch. While seemingly realistic, each of Gund's sculptures has abstract elements which elicit emotional reactions and reveal the artist's sensitivity to his subjects.
