Metamorphosis I

Copied Stella Waitzkin, Metamorphosis I, 1974, cast polyester resin and sandstone with paint and wood, 7 7⁄8 x 7 3⁄4 x 9 in. (19.9 x 19.7 x 23.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Stanley Bard, 1977.123

Artwork Details

Title
Metamorphosis I
Artist
Date
1974
Location
Dimensions
7 7⁄8 x 7 3⁄4 x 9 in. (19.9 x 19.7 x 23.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Stanley Bard
Mediums
Mediums Description
cast polyester resin and sandstone with paint and wood
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure — fragment — face
  • Object — written matter — book
Object Number
1977.123
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1977.123

Artwork Description

Metamorphosis I is part of a series of works in which Stella Waitzkin placed masks within the pages of her ceramic books. This sculpture presents three serene faces in three separate volumes. One is open to reveal a passage written by the poet Wordsworth, but the artist obstructed some of the words with glaze and clay, making it impossible to read the entire quote. Waitzkin sculpted letters, manuscripts, envelopes and books, often avoiding the inclusion of words because she felt they could be manipulative and overly suggestive.