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Ganeisha
The roly poly elephant boy from Hindu mythology.
I completed this "bas relief" from start to finish
in my studio. It was an exercise in frustration.
Ganeisha was commissioned by a gentleman in South Africa whose idea it was to build garden temples for Hindu Worshipers. This is the center section of one
6ft tall x 4ft wide panel. It is the main panel. There are eight panels completing the temple in a hexagonal shape which are then capped with a gold leafed dome and tall spire.
When finished each panel is
accompanied by a connecting overhead floral mural as well as one at the foot making each completed panel approximately 80" tall.
There was a great deal of research involved with this piece as I did not wish to
offend Worshipers. Each detail had to be justified from Hindu scriptures and folklore with strict adherence to symbolic themes in keeping with Hindu mythology and religious belief.
As the piece was to be shipped
to South Africa for mass production in fiberglass I made the original fairly lightweight and used contemporary methods and materials for casting which I had never done before. It proved to be an interesting
learning curve in materials handling and alternative casting methods. Lighter weight than bronze would have been but nonetheless a heavy piece my copy has withstood the elements of Santa Fe and has hung outdoors
for nigh on five years at 7,000ft elevation, desert summers and frigid icy winter nights and is still in excellent condition.
The material is very stable and has only improved with age.
I poured five copies
before I was satisfied with the finish as I did not realize at the time that a pressure chamber was necessary to insure air bubbles would be removed from the casting before it set and so I struggled with it but in the
end it turned out very satisfactorily.
When finished, I waxed and polished the bronze surface which in time aged with green verdigris making it even more beautiful. I also gold leafed the highlighted details
The original mold was destroyed in a move but smaller copies of this piece can be made in cold cast bronze.
PRICE: $7,500.00
Size: approximately 80" tall by 38" wide. |
