Vermillon - Deborah Butterfield (1989) - Sculpture analysis

Extract

[...] The viewer needs to get closer to notice the details, the longer one stares the more one's impression of the work becomes puzzling. II. Placement The sculpture is placed in a brightly lit location. The light is both artificial and natural, coming from the window above the sculpture. The resulting play of light and shadows along the geometrical steel parts, constituting the horse's anatomy emphasize its musculature. When moving around the sculpture the viewer notices that the lights respond differently with the parts. [...]

[...] As the observer distances him/herself with the sculpture the horse seems to lose its vitality and appears older. This impression is reinforced by the frontality, which gives a more stationary appearance to the sculpture. III. Used materials When looking at the artwork from the left side of the horse, the arrangement of the metal parts leads the observer to pay greater attention to the material used. Indeed, on the horse's flank one of the pieces has a pattern contrary to the rest of them and two pieces of steel are not completely welded together creating an empty space. [...]

[...] The orange appears more vibrant because the sculpture is in front of a white background. Burnt orange and white are the official colours of The University of Texas at Austin. Therefore, the substantial orange sculpture displayed in front of glass windows plays a role in re affirming the school's identity. Because of the colour and the lack of certain facial features the sculpture is only naturalistic to a certain extent. The artist did respect equine anatomy, and the viewer immediately recognized the subject, however, some details are stylized or omitted. [...]

[...] The assembled pieces, together with the thinness of the legs, the tilt of the head and the sharp angles give the impression of a young playful horse. This impression is reinforced by the lack of base emphasizes the vitality and agility of the horse. IV. Colours The colour of Vermillon further accentuates this impression of dynamism and brings unity to the sculpture. Indeed, the different parts are all painted various shades of orange. The paint is chipped in some areas and the viewer can see the dark grey of the steel underneath. On the legs of the horse the paint is almost worn off. [...]

[...] Vermillon - Deborah Butterfield (1989) - Sculpture analysis Vermillon is a sculpture by Deborah Butterfield, exhibited in the Atrium of the POB building at the University of Texas at Austin. The artwork was not originally made for the University's campus, it is a loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The subject of the sculpture is a standing life-size horse alone in the round made from multiple steel parts painted and welded together. Vermillon is painted in shades of red and orange. [...]