STEEL AND STONE
“LARGE RIVER STONES SUSPENDED ON METAL BEAMS COMPRISE THE ONLY LARGE-SCALE SCULPTURE BY WOODS DAVY ON VIEW AMID MAQUETTES FOR FUTURE WORKS. BUT THE ONE FULLY REALIZED PIECE AND THE SMALL SCALE MODELS PROVIDE AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT DAVY’S STYLE IS CHANGING. HE IS STILL CONCERNED WITH THE SAME LARGE QUESTION: HOW DOES THE ARTIST COMBINE NATURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL FORM TO FORGE AN OBJECT THAT TRANSCENDS THE SUM OF ITS PARTS? HIS SCULPTURE, FOR THE MOST PART, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CONVINCING ANSWERS.
“LANDOVER” GIVES THE NATURAL ELEMENT IN DAVY’S SCULPTURE EVEN MORE EMPHASIS, ACCENTUATING HIS USE OF CRISP LINEAR CONTRASTS. ON THE LEFT, A VERTICAL BEAM REACHES UP TO A HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED ROCK, WHILE AT RIGHT, UPLIFTED STONES PRESIDE ABOVE SIDEWAYS BEAMS. THIS CREATES A CAREFULLY BALANCED SEESAW EFFECT (OR A “PUSH-PULL” AS HANS HOFFMAN TERMED IT).
THREE OTHER MAQUETTES REPRESENT COMPLETED WORKS WHICH WILL BE INSTALLED OUTSIDE THE SECURITY PACIFIC BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AS PART OF ITS “URBAN SCULPTURE: ARCHITECTURAL CONCERNS” EXHIBITION. THE LARGEST, SIERRA LEONE, IS APRX. 20 FEET TALL. EVEN IN MAQUETTE FORM IT IS STRIKING, SINCE ONE CAN CLEARLY IMAGINE ITS MAJESTICALLY TOWERING BEAMS SERVING AS LOFTY SUPPORTS FOR LARGE STONES. THEY PERSUADE ME TO BELIEVE THAT DAVY WILL BE PRODUCING FORMALLY POWERFUL SCULPTURE FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.”
- ROBERT L. PINCUS, ART CRITIC, los angeles times, SEPTember 2, 1983
“The relationship between the steel and the isolated stones is parallel to the relationship between intelligence and emotion. They both challenge and need each other to achieve an unexpected balance—a sense of peace through tension.” WD
