Siena Curator of Fine ArtsElizabeth Greenberg
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Van Loen generally carved his sculptures, often rushing forward to claim a fallen tree trunk as raw material before it could be taken away. “Cathedral” is an example of his interest in working in this manner: its form is clearly that of a tree that has been shaped and transformed into a monumental, architectural creation. His translation from tree to sculpture emphasizes the natural verticality and curves of the truncated branches, recalling the tall, arching forms of a Gothic cathedral. The arching motif repeats in the sculpted almond-shaped forms on the original trunk, which penetrate the tallest arch. The light color and polished patina of the piece are in contrast to the heavily ornamented stone façade of a cathedral, having more in common with polished and gilded altarpieces that would be a feature in a cathedral’s interior. “Cathedral” is an ideal choice for the Pat Brown Room for several reasons: its color and finish harmonize with the wood paneling, the high, glassed room enhances its form, and its origin in nature complement Prof. Brown’s lifelong work and commitment to nature and the environment. |
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The Standish Library has added two sculptures from the FAMLI collection to its extensive display of art. Located near the Reference Desk, “Iconicus Series #2” by Shirley Toran, and “Study for T-Square” by Tony Rosenthal illustrate the wide variety of materials that contemporary sculptors utilize.
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Tony Rosenthal may be best known by some as the creator of Alamo, or “The Cube”, as many New Yorkers call it, a l5’ metal cube poised on one corner, which is located in front of Cooper Union in Manhattan. Another of his works, Hammerskjold, a tubular steel linear construction similar to “Study for T-Square”, is installed in front of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Born Bernard Rosenthal in Chicago in 1914, Rosenthal was motivated at an early age to become an artist, learning on his own as well as attending Saturday classes for children at the Art Institute of Chicago and drawing and modeling classes during high school. |
| A graduate of the University of Michigan and the Cranbrook Academy of Art, he worked in his early career with influential artists such as Eero Saarinen and Charles Eames. During WWII, he was lucky enough to be stationed in Paris, where he met the modern sculptor Constantin Brancusi and spent a great deal of time observing him at work in his studio. Settling in California after the War, he began to establish his style, creating a strong sculptural relationship between the artist’s craft, style, and the environment. The “Study for T-Square” is a maquette, or preliminary work for a larger piece, using black steel tubing to build an open, yet stable construction that also defines the empty space that passes through and around it. Rosenthal’s larger works also maintain this relationship, and encourages the viewer to pass through, as well as around, the structure. |
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Shirley Toran’s “Iconicus Series #2” demonstrates rectilinear, open form in a very different way and contrasting medium. As we are far more accustomed to encountering paper in a 2-dimensional form, it may not be immediately apparent that is the medium she employed in building the simple, airy form. Close inspection of the piece reveals a carefully hand-gridded surface on the paper, which serves as support for sliced and curled edges of paper and small calligraphic strokes of color. This delicate tracery contrasts with the simplicity and solidity of the overall form, with the bold circular “eye” in the center of each long side recalling the stolid gaze of a robot or Easter Island monolith. Ms Toran created several sculptures in this medium, which were exhibited at FAMLI in its 1987 “Window Ways” exhibit. |
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A fourth sculpture, “The Spirit of the Rose” by Joseph Ferguson, is also scheduled to be installed in the Library. |
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