WP3: Pre-Write 2

Saul Baizerman's sculpture, Serenity, is certainly an interesting piece of work. Made of hammered copper, it hangs a few feet off the ground, suspended from the wall by four curled bands of metal. First and foremost, the structure seems somewhat human-shaped, like the curled back and upper arms and legs of someone sitting on the floor. This view is supported by the piece's material, as copper has a color quite similar to an earthy and somehow human tone, appealing to the onlookers via pathos. In crafting the structure from said metal, Saul's hammer work leaves many tiny dents across the figure's "skin," yet these little imperfections add to its humanity.
From there, it is important to note the less-than-human features of the sculpture. As stated earlier, the figure is not entirely created; the head and left arm are completely missing, and the remaining limbs end at or before the joints. It has no defining features, the things that we often take as giving us our identity, yet most, if not all viewers will likely still assume the subject is human. This is one of Serenity's most interesting facets to me. What exactly is the piece trying to say by this? Dictionary.com defines "serenity" as: The state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil," yet the sculpture appears to be facing away from its audience, grasping itself in a pose almost reminiscent of the fetal position. This evoked the greatest pathos in me, as I began to worry for the figure, and wonder exactly how "serene" he or she was.
The metal's cut also added to such ideas. When the edges are looked upon, they are quite rough in some spots, and not wholly straight. Was Saul trying to explain something about ourselves as humans? Like I said, this fact is not readily apparent, so perhaps there is some critique there about the "rougher parts" of our personalities, of our lives, which we try to hide from the rest of the world.
So, too, does the copper's color ask something to its audience. At first it is dark and rather drab, but when looked at closer in the right lighting, there is a pure and bright red hue about it. Even as the sculpture attempts to say something about the sadness and drabness of human existence, it also speaks to the greater brightness that populates life.
The copper, itself, does not seem as if it has had too much care of late. This may just be an effect from its station in the outdoor statue garden, but the metal is dark, dirty, and a little rain-worn. This may also add some interesting angles to its rhetorical appeals, whether intended by the artist or not.
The metal is interestingly tempered, to a point where it is thin and seemingly light, yet still quite sturdy. Sure, there are are a few stray holes about the structure, likely from the nastier bouts of Nebraska weather, but still holds up to most battering. Again, this could yield quite nicely to an analyzation of the human condition, as apparent from the utilized material.