Yang Na

Artwork Description

In Yang Na, Tony Berlant collaged colorful, geometric pieces of metal and peppered them with steel brads, creating a surface that looks like a quilt. Berlant began making cubes with found metal in 1964 and continues to work with the material, transforming discarded advertising signs, scrap metal, and storage tins into vibrant sculptures. In this work, the artist plays with perspective and spatial relationships. He placed an image of an empty chair in one of the cube’s corners, as if inviting us to sit and ponder the bucolic scene. The title refers to the village of the Gabrielino tribe called Yang Na, which later became the city of Los Angeles. Berlant's work is often influenced by American Indian art and culture, and he is an avid collector of Mimbres pottery and Navajo blankets.