History Refined? BARRY X BALL

Original Post on my personal blog here.

Barry X Ball: Remaking Sculpture presents sculptures created out of rare and delicate stones with the help of 3D scanning technology and CNC milling machines. Using these state-of-the-art techniques and a vast knowledge of art history and portraiture over 20 years. But what's interesting is that although the sculptures are new, they really are a refinement of historical works.

Ball begin's his process by taking an unbiased view of an existing sculpture. This objective 3D scan is refined digitally and then reprinted. He uses historical sculptor's 'end points' for his beginning point to distill and focus the original idea. Here lies where I am at a loss. On one hand I appreciate the digital process and the ultimate result, but some part of me is left wanting to ask, 'Wasn't the original good enough?'. With this much money, effort, and craft shouldn't there be more to the artist?

This is when things turned. In his later and current work he has moved beyond recreation into manipulation. In 'Pope maquette' there are scenes on scenes carved into the surface. The layering adds scenes onto the bust itself. It's storytelling and ornamentation in a single from. It reminded me of Trajan's Column. In another work: 'Janusian meta-portrait' Ball manages to display the objective digital copy against the artist's manipulation. The contrasts are beautiful and unique yet the overall similarity is intriguing.

Pope. A maquette for a new sculpture. 2020

On Left: Portrait of gallerist. 2009. On Right: Janusian meta-portrait. 2007.

Works in the exhibition recreate masterpieces:

• Pietá, after Michelangelo Buonarroti's Rondanini Pietá
• Envy/Purity, after Giusto Le Court's La Invidia and Antonio Corradini's La Puritá
• Doorwoman, after Medardo Rosso's La Portinaia
• Madame X, after Medardo Rosso's Madame X

I'm excited to see more from Barry X Ball and his studio. Barry X Ball: Remaking Sculpture is on view at the Nasher January 25, 2020 - April 19, 2020.