|
As is customary for Buck, the cast bronze works are originally carved in wood. The wood is lost in the casting process as it is replaced with metal. Since the early 1970s, John Buck has been making narrative sculptures that employ his signature motif of disparate objects and figures precariously in balance with each other. Among the various carved items are globes, chains, quatrefoils, symmetrical floral patterns, birds, forked sticks and flames.
Buck uses jelutong wood as his primary material. It is a soft white wood culled from Malaysian farming operations. Too soft to have any value as a building material, it is perfectly suited to the furniture maker and wood sculptor. The process of its own making becomes very apparent in the finished piece. Every hack mark and chisel cut remains visible. These are not slick, polished pieces. Instead they follow in the tradition of folk art, handmade crafts and votive figures.
click on an image to enlarge:
RIVER FALLS
2006
Cast bronze
56 x 38 x 17 inches
$40,000
FLYING HORSE, 2005
Cast bronze, 71 x 48 x 26 inches, Edition of 3
$40,000.
SWITCHBACK, 2006
Cast bronze, 70 x 42 x 9.5 inches, Edition of 3
$40,000.
CENTENNIAL, 2006
Cast bronze, 68 x 46 x 9 inches, Edition of 3
$38,000.
SUB-CONTINENT, 2000
Cast bronze, 55.5 x 15.5 x 12 inches, Edition of 3
$30,000.
CIRRUS, 2000
Cast bronze, 48 x 15.5 x 12 inches, Edition of 3
$30,000.
LODGE GRASS, 2000
Cast bronze, 49.5 x 15.5 x 12 inches, Edition of 3
$30,000.
 
THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, 2000
Cast bronze, 55 x 15.5 x 12 inches, Edition of 3
$30,000.
 
NON-REALISTIC ARRANGEMENT, 2000
(rear side shown above, right)
Cast bronze, 55 x 15.5 x 12 inches, Edition of 3
$30,000.
 
HEARSAY, 1991
Cast bronze with patina
24 x 42.5 x 13.25 inches, Edition of 4
$30,000.
THE ASSEMBLAGE, 1991
Cast bronze with patina
58 x 17.75 x 14 inches, Edition of 3
$30,000.
 
Details of THE ASSEMBLAGE
THE ARRAY, 1995
Cast bronze with patina finish
46 x 38 x 7.5 inches, Edition of 5
$20,000.
The HOLUALOA series is a politically-minded group of work, filled with images which are symbolic of ideas and concepts. Ladders, blossoming flowers and mazes are visual stand-ins for abstract ideas. HOLUALOA is the name of the town in Hawai'i where Buck and his wife, artist Deborah Butterfield, maintain winter studios. The BOUGAINVILLEA series depicts rocks, tree branches and geometric elements which are intended primarily to represent themselves as parts of the natural world. Below is one of the bronzes from the series.
HOLUALOA SERIES No. 4, 1993
Cast bronze with patina finish
33.5 x 32 x 6 inches, Edition of 5
$20,000.
HOLUALOA SERIES No. 5, 1993
Cast bronze with patina finish
38 x 16 x 10.5 inches, Edition of 5
$20,000.
HOLUALOA SERIES No. 6, 1993
Cast bronze with patina finish
37 x 24 x 9.5 inches, Edition of 5
$18,000.
HOLUALOA SERIES No. 11, 1993
Cast bronze with patina finish
36.5 x 31 x 10.5 inches, Edition of 5
$20,000.
HOLUALOA SERIES No. 12, 1993
Cast bronze with patina finish
41 x 28 x 8 inches, Edition of 5
$18,000.
click on an image to enlarge:
FATHER AND SON, 1988
Cast bronze with patina finish
149 x 47 x 40 inches
POR
SMOKESTACK LIGHTNIN', 1991
Cast bronze with patina finish
219 x 170 x 47 inches, Edition of 3
POR
THE VISE, 1990
Cast bronze with patina finish
71 x 32 x 25 inches, Edition of 3
POR
|
