Sherpa 2
8’ 3” x 5’ 4” x 8’ 1”
Granite
2016
Artist Statement
My process for making sculpture has always started with finding objects and hording them, at first I used trees that had been blown over in storms or cut down to make way for construction. Working in this fashion I have always felt as though I am a conduit for my environment more than a creator of objects. Starting with shapes that have spoken to me and been created by nature or industry, and letting these objects related to each other I make constructions out of them that just feel right to me. These sculptures often take on anthropomorphic attitudes, gestures and stance. They relate to life.
For the past 10 years most of my sculptures have been made of stone, and most of those are granite. The granite that I find is industrial discard, the stone industry is only interested in rectangular blocks that can be cut into slabs all the stone that is quarried is cut into rectangles and the rest, which is first quality stone is thrown away. I love the shapes of the waste stone; I collect as many pieces as I can– treating this as my pallet. I begin to think of different constructions made from these, sometimes this process involves drawings, however I prefer to keep the vision of the constructions in my head, so that when I bring the pieces of stone into the studio and lift them into place holding them with cranes (some of the pieces weigh as much as 10,000lbs) I am then able to decide if I like the composition and then design the joints that need to be cut to make it safe and stable. These joints are substantial and rely on stones natural propensity to rest on one another in a post and lintel fashion. Sometimes I use the weight of one stone to hold up another, and then I use stainless steel rods for extra security. Once the piece is assembled I then decide if it needs to be carved, polished, textured, or altered, added to or edited. I like to have two or three pieces going on at the same time as it takes a while for me to digest what is happening and decide what needs to happen to bring the composition to fruition. These pieces are intended for public sites and often only feel complete when they have been placed in a setting where people can interact with them.
Harry H. Gordon
Born: Ft. Leavenworth, KS, USA, 1960
Resides: Lambertville, NJ, USA
Education
MFA, Rutgers University, 1987
BFA, Syracuse University, 1983