During the 1950s, Seymour Lipton became more resigned to the idea that violence and death were unavoidable aspects of life. He moved away from the darker themes of struggle and conflict that had dominated his work, and began to explore plant forms. Inspired by the constant regeneration of nature, he molded sheet metal to represent the layers of growth that are found in all natural forms. In Jungle Bloom II the textured spirals and curves of metal evoke unfolding petals or leaves. The piece balances on a single point, creating a sense of weightlessness despite the thick layers of metal.
“Gradually the sense of the dark inside, the evil of things, the hidden areas of struggle became for me a part of the cyclic story of living things. The inside and outside became one in the struggle of growth, death, and rebirth …” Seymour Lipton, Art in America, Winter 1956–1957
- Title
-
Jungle Bloom II
- Artist
- Date
- 1956
- Location
- Dimensions
- 31 1⁄8 x 29 x 14 1⁄2 in. (79.0 x 73.7 x 36.8 cm)
- Credit Line
-
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Gift of Mrs. Susan Morse Hilles
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- Monel metal with brazed nickel-silver
- Classifications
- Keywords
-
- Abstract
- Object Number
-
1977.2.4
- Palette
- Linked Open Data
- Linked Open Data URI
