Etienne Chambaud Necknot, 2020
Bronze
28 x 27 x 21 cm (11 1/8 x 10 5/8 x 8 1/4 in)
Edition of 3 plus 1 artist's proof
The series of bronze sculptures entitled Necknot consist of life-size casts of the necks of birds formed into mathematical knots. Combining reproductions of necks from different species, among them ducks and geese, the sculptures depict mathematical knots of varying complexity.
A mathematical knot differs from those commonly used in that the ends are joined together so that it cannot be undone. The simplest mathematical knot then is a loop, while the increasing complexity of individual knots is measured by the smallest number its lines cross.
Beautiful and quietly poignant, the necks of the Necknot hold each other end to end in infinite loops. Their softly shimmering shapes oscillate between abstraction and representation, their undulating lines invoking past impressions of the graceful long necks of wild fowl yet its anatomy here also registering as harmonious geometric composition.
The anatomical characteristics of the neck and its metaphorical associations hold a particular fascination for the artist. To Chambaud “the neck is the body part that allows the distinction and separation between the torso and the head. But if the neck is a separator, it is also a connector: the place through which air and food pass, where screams, voices and songs are produced, through which interiority expresses itself. This paradoxical form exists almost only because of what it both separates and connects, because of what it holds at its two extremities. By the simple fact that it can be more easily severed than other parts of the body, the neck has enabled the invention and development of dualism—the distinction between body and mind, between physical and mental states—and has thus had a lasting influence on the fate of human thought.“
The title, with its “k” doubling to spell “neck” and “knot”, encapsulates the function of the anatomical neck as connection between head and torso, at the same time, it can also be read as a negation—"not neck”—comparable to the mathematical term for the simplest knot: unknot.
The artist has referred to the theory of knots in other works as well, for example with his series of mysterious framed “Tamed Knots”.
The work can be presented installed suspended from the ceiling, resting on a plinth or on a table, or other surface.
Thin layer of wax is applied to the work. Some patina changes are tolerable, but the bronze should not turn green. If green patina starts to develop, the work can be brushed and rewaxed. Please use gloves when handling the work.
A mathematical knot differs from those commonly used in that the ends are joined together so that it cannot be undone. The simplest mathematical knot then is a loop, while the increasing complexity of individual knots is measured by the smallest number its lines cross.
Beautiful and quietly poignant, the necks of the Necknot hold each other end to end in infinite loops. Their softly shimmering shapes oscillate between abstraction and representation, their undulating lines invoking past impressions of the graceful long necks of wild fowl yet its anatomy here also registering as harmonious geometric composition.
The anatomical characteristics of the neck and its metaphorical associations hold a particular fascination for the artist. To Chambaud “the neck is the body part that allows the distinction and separation between the torso and the head. But if the neck is a separator, it is also a connector: the place through which air and food pass, where screams, voices and songs are produced, through which interiority expresses itself. This paradoxical form exists almost only because of what it both separates and connects, because of what it holds at its two extremities. By the simple fact that it can be more easily severed than other parts of the body, the neck has enabled the invention and development of dualism—the distinction between body and mind, between physical and mental states—and has thus had a lasting influence on the fate of human thought.“
The title, with its “k” doubling to spell “neck” and “knot”, encapsulates the function of the anatomical neck as connection between head and torso, at the same time, it can also be read as a negation—"not neck”—comparable to the mathematical term for the simplest knot: unknot.
The artist has referred to the theory of knots in other works as well, for example with his series of mysterious framed “Tamed Knots”.
The work can be presented installed suspended from the ceiling, resting on a plinth or on a table, or other surface.
Thin layer of wax is applied to the work. Some patina changes are tolerable, but the bronze should not turn green. If green patina starts to develop, the work can be brushed and rewaxed. Please use gloves when handling the work.
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