Robert Strang exhibits his aluminum abstract sculpture Solemn from 2000 between the Museum and Domestic Arts Buildings. It is a large-scale, curvilinear cast work. The cast sections were juxtaposed and welded into a stately, open form that thrusts the eye upward to experience the orbiting activity of the top portion. The materials were manipulated to produce various textures that add to the visual effects and emotive qualities. The overall, brilliant metallic blue surface contributes to the dynamic energy emitted by the piece while also providing a strong unifying element. As an abstract artist, Strang strives to create an object that is free of mimesis and decoration in order to provoke the viewer’s mind to wonder and gain entry into a visually stimulating first-time experience. The artist’s concern is with capturing a mood, and imaginatively and sensuously sustaining it through his creativity, rather than producing a representation of a memory of fantasy. He has stated that the title, Solemn, refers to “the ceremonious aspect of looking. I look upward and inward for direction. …the sculpture offers a temporary state of resolve, or at best, comfort.” Strang, a resident of New York State, is the former Assistant Supervisor of Installations at the Johnson Atelier. He received an MFA in 1984 from Hunter College in New York City, and prior to that a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. In addition, he gained foundry experience as a visiting artist at the Johnson Atelier in the early 1980s. Strang’s works have been in solo and group shows in galleries in New Jersey, New York, and in other states along the East Coast. He is represented in both public and private collections. | | 
Solemn, 2000
painted cast aluminum
96" x 60" x 48"
Courtesy of The Sculpture Foundation, Inc. |
