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Excerpt from the
catalog essay by Hal Nelson:
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| Mark Lindquist creates
sculptural form by using traditional turning processes but at an
almost unimaginably monumental scale. Liberty Mallet
of 2006 is a technical tour de force in virtuoso wood turning
technique and, like all of Lindquist's sculpture, it exists on
multiple levels. Formally, it is an elegant shape which seems
to subtly suggest the long flowing silhouette of a human figure.
There is, however, a raw quality, particularly apparent in the
gaping crack that runs up the work's lower half and serves as a
counterpoint to its vertical elegance. Even in the title,
itself, there are multiple layers of meaning and suggestion.
Lindquist has said, "The piece has a handle that stands proudly upon
a rough base. It's based on the form of a favorite mallet I've
used for over 25 years. The title 'Liberty Mallet' alludes to
the prominent fissure that runs through the bell-like form,
suggesting the Liberty Bell, itself." Reflecting on its rich
social and political metaphors, Lindquist commented on the work's
relevance to the exhibition The Presence of Absence,
"I think of this piece as a meditation on the inversion of the
American ideals of freedom. I think that a worldwide community
is yearning, right now for an 'absence of presence,' and this piece
is a reflection of that desire. In more formal terms, the
monumental scale and monolithic nature of the piece," Lindquist has
observed, "make you more aware of the vastness of the space
surrounding it; by virtue of its presence, you become aware of
absence."
From: The Presence of Absence:
Exploring the Void in Contemporary Wood Sculpture
Hal Nelson, Director Long Beach Museum of Art, Collectors of Wood
Art exhibition at SOFA Chicago, November 9-12, Catalog page 4. |
Making the Liberty Mallet
The Liberty Mallet is made from one log of American Black
Cherry.
This log was left over from Lindquist's
Ichiboku Series Sculptures and had been roughed out in 1989.
(Above) Mark checks the size and quality of the shavings during rough
turning.
The Liberty Mallet is made in Mark
Lindquist's Turning Studio (above) in Quincy, FL, established in 1983.
The lathe is an old retrofitted pattern maker's lathe originally used by
Mark and his father
Melvin Lindquist in
their New Hampshire studio beginning in the early seventies.
Mark has been turning since the age of 10, and has been
turning professionally since 1969.
Begun in 1989, the mallet nears completion in 2006.
The completed LIBERTY MALLET, by Mark Lindquist was first exhibited at:
CWA Forum 2006 at
SOFA
Chicago
November 9-12, 2006:
The Presence of Absence:
Celebrating the Void in Contemporary Wood Sculpture
Curated by Hal Nelson, Director of the
Long Beach Museum of Art, CA.
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Mark
Lindquist
Liberty Mallet
Post Totemic Series
1989-2006
American Black Cherry
6' High x 18 1/2" Diameter
Represented at SOFA by:
Donna Schneier Fine Art, NYC |
Photos Above © Mark Lindquist 2006, All Rights
Reserved
BELOW: PHOTOS FROM THE CWA EXHIBIT (SOFA CHICAGO 2006)
Photos: John Mc Fadden / Lindquist Studios ~ © ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED
Liberty Mallet (Left), Free-Form Sculpture,
1973-1983 by Mark Lindquist (Lower Right)
(Below): Mark Lindquist reflecting on finished Liberty Mallet
sculpture
The
Presence of Absence: The Artist’s Perspective
Special exhibit curator Hal Nelson, director, Long Beach
Museum of Art, CA
discusses negative space & the influence of Asian aesthetics with artists
Mark Lindquist, Gyongy Laky and William Hunter.
Presented by Collectors of Wood Art.
After Panel Discussion:
(Below): Bill Hunter (left), Mark Lindquist (center
left), Gyongy Laky (Center Right-Low), Jane Mason
(Far Right)
(Below): Mark Lindquist (left), Kevin Wallace (Right)
Special Thanks to Kevin Wallace for his efforts with the exhibition and
John Mc Fadden for exhibition photography.
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