House

Russell Gillespie, House, ca. 1972, wood with leather and string, 18 ¹⁄₄ x 19 ¹⁄₄ x 8 ⁵⁄₈ in. (46.2 x 48.9 x 21.8 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.249

Artwork Details

Title: House
Artist: Russell Gillespie
Date: ca. 1972
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
/
Luce Foundation Center
/
3rd Floor
/
27A
Dimensions: 18 ¹⁄₄ x 19 ¹⁄₄ x 8 ⁵⁄₈ in. (46.2 x 48.9 x 21.8 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums: iron
wood
mixed media
string
leather
Mediums Description: wood with leather and string
Classifications: Sculpture
Subjects: Recreation — sport and play — swinging
Architecture Exterior — domestic — house
Figure group
Object Number: 1986.65.249
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.249

Artwork Description

Russell Gillespie creates small wooden buildings inspired by the log cabin where he was born. The gnarled trees surrounding House are old tree roots that Gillespie found around his home in the mountains of North Carolina. He often includes figures and animals in his sculptures, and in this piece you can see a child playing on a rope swing.