In grade school we learn about the basic shapes in
geometry: circles, ovals, squares, triangles, rectangles, quadrangles,
parallelograms, the rhombus, pentagons, hexagons, octagons—the list goes on and
on. Under most circumstances, these shapes are only used as simple elements
within a much larger work of art. For example, one might use a circle and a
triangle in a basic sketch. With added detail, the circle can become a head and
the triangle takes the shape of a nose. With more shading, a few lines and a
pair of eyes, facial features come into view, and eventually we lose track of
the painting’s humble beginnings.
Like any other artist, De Wain
Valentine approaches his sculptures with the basic geometry of the finished
product in mind. But instead of fading away through added details such as fine
chiseling or added sanding and polishing, the concept of the shape serves as
the most essential part of his work. That is not to say Valentine doesn’t pay
attention to detail—the technical composition of his large, polyester resin
sculptures requires a complex process to bring out a sheen that acts as both an
opaque reflector and a filter for light to pass through. In this regard,
Valentine enables his audiences to look at both themselves and at other people
within the scope of his sculptures, almost literally immersing the viewer in
art.
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| De Wain Valentine "Lavender Column" |
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| De Wain Valentine "Circle Blue Smoke Flow" |
Valentine has had installations
shown in the Museum of Modern Art, The Contemporary Museum in Honolulu and the
San Diego Museum of Art. The Georgia Museum of Art, through the efforts of
chief curator and Curator of American Art Paul Manoguerra, Pierre Daura Curator
of European Art Lynn Boland, Director William Underwood Eiland, the W. Newton
Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, has
put together an exhibition featuring Valentine’s work in Human Scale. The exhibition
will run from Sept. 8, 2012, until Jan. 27, 2013.
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