Coma Belt Buckle

David LaPlantz, Coma Belt Buckle, 1980, stainless steel, iron, and nickel silver, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1982.12.1
David LaPlantz, Coma Belt Buckle, 1980, stainless steel, iron, and nickel silver, 4 in. (10.2 cm) wide, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1982.12.1

Artwork Details

Title
Coma Belt Buckle
Date
1980
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
4 in. (10.2 cm) wide
Credit Line
Gift of the artist
Mediums Description
stainless steel, iron, and nickel silver
Classifications
Object Number
1982.12.1

Artwork Description

David LaPlantz describes his working state as being between dreams and reality. He often expresses fears and paranoia in his work, and this belt buckle was named for the movie Coma, in which healthy patients at a hospital mysteriously slip into comas after simple operations. LaPlantz’s wife, Shereen, was a basketmaker, weaver, and book artist, who made belts to go with the belt buckles he crafted.

Works by this artist (7 items)

William Morris Hunt, The Fortune Teller, ca. 1857-1858, lithograph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1968.81
The Fortune Teller
Dateca. 1857-1858
lithograph on paper
Not on view
William Morris Hunt, Girl at the Fountain, ca. 1857, lithograph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1980.67.7
Girl at the Fountain
Dateca. 1857
lithograph on paper
Not on view
William Morris Hunt, Portrait of Agnes Elizabeth Claflin, 1873, oil on canvas mounted on fiberboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1985.27
Portrait of Agnes Elizabeth Claflin
Date1873
oil on canvas mounted on fiberboard
Not on view
William Morris Hunt, Violet Girl, 1857, lithograph with tint stone on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1974.16.2
Violet Girl
Date1857
lithograph with tint stone on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Edward Sachse, Smithsonian Institute, ca. 1855, hand-colored lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Al Marzorini in honor of Harry Lowe, 2019.23
Smithsonian Institute
Dateca. 1855
hand-colored lithograph
Not on view
Marching As to War
Daten.d.
color etching
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Pharoh’s Horses
Artist
Unidentified (British)
Daten.d.
engraving
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Jakob Steinhardt, Untitled, n.d., etching, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Adelyn D. Breeskin, 1970.61
Untitled
Daten.d.
etching
Not on view