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Imperfect Sculpture

Sculpture Design
1973 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Glynn Williams is a well known British sculptor. In the 1970s he was working in an abstract style, although still with reference to real objects. His work later became much more figurative. This drawing, a study for a print (see Circ.91-1974), relates quite closely to pieces in wood he was making in the early 1970s which took the form of crates and similar constructions. In some of these pieces Williams seems to be working with a cross-over from two to three dimensions, using the idea of a shadow as a solid part of the sculpture which at the same time remains flat. In this drawing the 'sculpture' only reveals itself to be carved, three-dimensional representations of the letters forming the word SCULPTURE through the fallen letters at the ends of each stand of columns. This suggests a playful approach to questions of spatial relationships in both two- and three-dimensional work.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleImperfect Sculpture (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Ink and felt tip pen over pencil on paper
Brief description
Drawing, study for Imperfect Sculpture, by Glynn Williams, UK, 1973
Physical description
Design for a sculpture
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 59.3cm
  • Sheet width: 84.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
Glynn Williams/ 73 (Signed and dated in pencil)
Summary
Glynn Williams is a well known British sculptor. In the 1970s he was working in an abstract style, although still with reference to real objects. His work later became much more figurative. This drawing, a study for a print (see Circ.91-1974), relates quite closely to pieces in wood he was making in the early 1970s which took the form of crates and similar constructions. In some of these pieces Williams seems to be working with a cross-over from two to three dimensions, using the idea of a shadow as a solid part of the sculpture which at the same time remains flat. In this drawing the 'sculpture' only reveals itself to be carved, three-dimensional representations of the letters forming the word SCULPTURE through the fallen letters at the ends of each stand of columns. This suggests a playful approach to questions of spatial relationships in both two- and three-dimensional work.
Associated object
CIRC.91-1974 (Study for)
Bibliographic reference
Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1974
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.90-1974

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Record createdMarch 28, 2008
Record URL
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