Red Lightning Fountain

Ferne Jacobs, Red Lightning Fountain, 1983, knotted and twined waxed linen, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Eleanor T. and Samuel J. Rosenfeld, 2002.8.5
Copied Ferne Jacobs, Red Lightning Fountain, 1983, knotted and twined waxed linen, 8 5⁄8 x 23 x 5 5⁄8 in. (21.8 x 58.3 x 14.2 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Eleanor T. and Samuel J. Rosenfeld, 2002.8.5

Artwork Details

Title
Red Lightning Fountain
Artist
Date
1983
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
8 5⁄8 x 23 x 5 5⁄8 in. (21.8 x 58.3 x 14.2 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Eleanor T. and Samuel J. Rosenfeld
Mediums
Mediums Description
knotted and twined waxed linen
Classifications
Object Number
2002.8.5
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2002.8.5

Artwork Description

Ferne Jacobs creates most of her woven baskets from a waxed linen thread that comes from Northern Ireland. Each basket takes several weeks to complete as she painstakingly coils, twists, and knots the fine thread. In Red Lightning Fountain the woven surface appears soft and pliable, but the vessel is rigid enough to stand alone. On the end of the straps, Jacobs applied the Hebrew letters Aleph (the beginning) and Tav (the end) to symbolize the beginning and end of all things. The jagged lines of the straps together with the basket's vibrant color evoke a dramatic explosion, suggesting the creation and destruction of life.