The New Beetle Sculpture by Charles Ray
Sculpture is a very strong form of art. Imagine having the ability to give life to a piece of inanimate object. Is it not like breathing life as the artwork begins to take form? LA artist Charles Ray has been known for creating sculptures that are very celebrated for their richness in aesthetics and craftsmanship. Among his most memorable works displayed at Matthew Marks is his version of the “New Beetle”. Ray did not use any high-quality VW parts for this sculpture, but it clearly speaks of how much the Beetle is loved. Easily mistaken as made out of smooth white marble, this sculpture is really made out of stainless steel which is painted in immaculate white.
The “New Beetle” is not an impression of the vehicle, or any of its VW parts. It is a life-size sculpture that portrays a naked young boy curled on the ground with his left hand extended to the floor, and the right is playing with a toy car. We can now safely say that the car is an impression of the Beetle, but this is not what the sculpture tells us. It is about the freedom that children enjoy while they are playing with their toys. Just like driving a Beetle. One can easily get caught up in the whole Beetle experience. Check out other works of Ray until January 9.
Source: New York Times