Touch

Copied John McQueen, Touch, 1987, tied red osier sticks, 12 12 in. (31.8 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Jane and Arthur K. Mason on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Renwick Gallery, 1996.98.7

Artwork Details

Title
Touch
Artist
Date
1987
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
12 12 in. (31.8 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Gift of Jane and Arthur K. Mason on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Renwick Gallery
Mediums
Mediums Description
tied red osier sticks
Classifications
Keywords
  • Object — written matter
Object Number
1996.98.7

Artwork Description

Touch expresses what one scholar has called John McQueen's "belief . . . in the tree as the spirit of man." He has built a structure from different colors of willow twigs to suggest skin, arteries, and veins, as if the tree were mutating into a human being. The artist often includes words in his objects to complicate what we see. In this piece, the word "touch" appears in the protrusions near the top, emphasizing both the tactile quality of the basket and the physical effort of the artist as he built it.