Untitled (Angel)

Copied David Butler, Untitled (Angel), ca. 1970 - 1980, paint on metal, 12 × 19 12 × 7 in. (30.5 × 49.5 × 17.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Orren and Marilyn Bradley and Kohler Foundation, Inc., 2015.58.3

Artwork Details

Title
Untitled (Angel)
Artist
Date
ca. 1970 - 1980
Dimensions
12 × 19 12 × 7 in. (30.5 × 49.5 × 17.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Orren and Marilyn Bradley and Kohler Foundation, Inc.
Mediums Description
paint on metal
Classifications
Keywords
  • Religion — angel
Object Number
2015.58.3

Artwork Description

David Butler, the son of a carpenter and Christian missionary, fashioned a garden of pounded, cut, and painted metal forms in his yard in Patterson, Louisiana. His sculptures fuse biblical imagery with characters from his dreams. The tiered layers, attached parts, and cutout shapes created an animated array as wind and sunlight toyed with his installation. His pieces were installed in windows, planted in the ground, and hung from trees in order to create a space that felt interactive and alive.