Majestic Monekana
Contemporary artist Deborah Butterfield brings spirit and technical mastery to the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection with the newly acquired work Monekana.
The majestic bronze sculpture is the largest ever created by the artist, who has established an international reputation for her evocative works, particularly those depicting horses. Cast from fragments of Hawaiian Ohea wood, the sculpture is a tour-de-force example of Butterfield's ability to capture the texture and color of the original materials in bronze. The title comes from the Hawaiian word for "Montana," as Butterfield teaches sculpture at Montana State University in Bozeman.
Pictured: Artist Deborah Butterfield puts finishing touches on Monekana.
Contemporary artist Deborah Butterfield brings spirit and technical mastery to the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection with the newly acquired work Monekana.
The majestic bronze sculpture is the largest ever created by the artist, who has established an international reputation for her evocative works, particularly those depicting horses. Cast from fragments of Hawaiian Ohea wood, the sculpture is a tour-de-force example of Butterfield's ability to capture the texture and color of the original materials in bronze. The title comes from the Hawaiian word for "Montana," as Butterfield teaches sculpture at Montana State University in Bozeman.