JOY – “THE JOY OF SELF-LESS-NESS” Also referred to as the “The Resurrection”
Polished Bronze:  68” x 41” x 33” 

Artist Statement

Profound human insights have been expressed here through the arts. By exploring them openly and aesthetically, I have come to some life altering epiphanies and realizations. These revelations have taught me that I’m not separate from others, nor the events and forces that surround me. They reveal that the nature of our actions toward others and our surroundings are the causes that determine our circumstances. Per—the nature of our actions, these contributions will ripple throughout life and echo their way on back to us. This is but one way in which we are all interconnected. To determine our role in life, we need only step back and objectively observe what drives our actions. Is it better to serve our immediate gratifications or invest in the potential momentum of lasting fulfillment? Is it better to throw tomatoes at what appears wrong or inspire others by lead of our finest example? Shall we devote ourselves to that which separates or rally behind the spirit of what binds us universally?

Work Statement

As for “JOY”  -The “JOY” of Self-less-ness Visually and aesthetically, the warm resonating effects of polished bronze, and the tranquil soothing qualities of such natural phenomenon as snowdrifts and sand dunes –inspire me! For I combine this warmth with those of natures gracefully transitional forms by applying them to our human proportions -relative to their movements. Consequently, I am able to express the essence of our life nurturing human energy, emphasizing the warm compassionate side of our nature. Ultimately, I am provided with the means to express the joyful vitality that surfaces when we support the binding forces that we each share with all life. This sculpture is therefore an expression that attempts to launch this realization into our consciousness, RESURRECTING this realization as the perspective that pays tribute to the type of “joy” that leads to “fulfillment” –as our “ultimate” human potential.

In Short “JOY” The “JOY” of Self-Less-Ness expresses the fulfillment we experience when we do for others without concern for our own agendas. Like other metaphors, it means to resurrect these values as a life nurturing perspective.

Visually and aesthetically, the warm resonating effects of polished bronze and the soothing, tranquil qualities of such natural phenomenon as snowdrifts and sand dunes inspire me. For I combine the warmth of polished bronze with natures gracefully transitional forms by applying them to our human proportions -relative to their movements. Therefore, I am able to express the nurturing essence of our human energy, emphasizing the warm compassionate side of our nature.

Ultimately, what feel I am expressing is the joyful vitality that surfaces when we support the nurturing forces that we each depend on –including those that exist between each of us.

This sculpture is therefore an expression of this realization and is therefore a tribute to that sense of fulfillment that finds “Joy” in the pursuit of our life-nurturing potential.

 “The “JOY” of Selflessness” Environmental Concept

Then when it came to addressing a suitable environment, I found myself drawn to the advantages posed by elevating the circular design one finds executed in Classical Greek Amphitheaters. For this design would  allow viewers to experience this expression first in the round from both the monumental perspective posed by observing this sculpture from the low ground one has from a distance, only to then observe it more intimately from the high ground one experiences when observing it up close.

Now, by considering that our anatomical structure is primarily made up of liquid, imagine running forward with an open glass of water only to stop suddenly. The water with no choice but to proceed, naturally abides by the natural laws of physics, as inertia carries the liquid up and out of the topside of the glass. This is where I take my creative liberties, by adapting the human form to those of the qualities of liquid as they perform under such circumstances. Hence, they fit the needs to meet the former, whereby together they augment my ability to envision the very essence of  human energy moving, expressed as non-anatomical form.

Now it is up to the runway to suggest the origin of this movement,  as this is where the sculpture becomes an extension of this directional fluidity, and whereupon its interruption is suggested by the two opposing visual stops that stand before its path.

Then what is left is circular pool of water that represents the universal unconscious, while the sculpture brings form to its expression through the efforts of the artist.

Note: This sculpture is searching for a home, preferably somewhere public where it can freely perform for those who wish to come and pay a visit. I can easily adapt this design to accommodate for the most unique display circumstances.

“The Discipline of Balance” also referred to as “The Pirouette”

The mere conception and creation of these sculptures acknowledge and openly celebrate the importance of a superlative human archetype (a potential in human awareness), while their subject and their aesthetic content strive to inspire us to treat this archetype as an ideal. They do so by visually demonstrating (by means of expressing the mental state that is required in order to achieve this mental state) what we as humans must achieve if we are to personally and collectively fulfill this ideal.

To fulfill this ideal and reach this potential state of awareness requires that we cultivate both inner-discipline and attain mental and intuitive balance, attainments that together foster our potential to fully mature as human beings; to achieve a level of maturity that hinges on our ability to obtain and maintain this balance we require in order to recognize our need to relate to both the realm of form and the formless. thus the relationship that is necessary if we are to recognize and then achieve our most high minded potentials.

Another example would be to reflect on the inner-discipline required in order to maintain a healthy balance between the masculine nature and the feminine nature. Like that expressed through the Yin and Yang symbol of the east. This is the need that drives each of us to seek the nature of our opposite sex in order to fulfill our innate longing to become whole and thus complete. Hence we naturally seek to obtain our innate need for inner balance by attempting to acquire those qualities we lack through the balance of such delicate relationships. Like the need to balance the need to serve the self and all that pertains to the self and the need to consider the need to consider the well beings of others (meaning our surroundings). The more we achieve (or at least experience) this balance between the qualities that pertain to our masculine protector and our feminine nurturer for ourselves, the more we come to appreciate this balance as a quality in and of itself, and as a result, we come to honor and seek it in others.

Ultimately, these sculptural forms, aligned with the highly balanced movement implied to them aesthetically, pose (as they endeavor to aesthetically express) what naturally falls in line with the overall intent of our life-force energy, that which recognizes, values and honors the need to exercise human mind, the intuitive soul as the astral energy of the body equally. This requires that we nurture them the same way if we are to develop and participate in the potential fruits of this high minded level of enhanced consciousness. those that naturally reveal this potential through the temperament of our creative efforts.

Here our pirouette metaphor demonstrates how symmetry and its stable use of balance play’s an all-important role in our human development, and to those who have seriously attempted to successfully perform them flawlessly, find that they can relate to (and thus express the importance of nurturing these various aspects of our awareness evenly. For it is here that the pirouette in closed position relève manages to powerfully convey the required stability we need if we are to achieve this temperament and so express it. hence, whenever we manage to achieve this even temperament, we substantiate the role such a a balance plays in our ability to make decisions, as this is the powerful component that most positively contributes to our personal and collective evolution. That which lends itself as a powerful visual metaphor that speaks on behalf of defining its self and the discipline to effectively pursue it, as a profound human truth.

For the pirouette relies not on physical strength, as this sort of strength plays only a nominal role in its execution. On the contrary, technique and the discipline to fully focus are revealed as essential to cultivating the mind from beyond the mind while inspiring the body form beyond the flesh so that we may fulfill our role in life as; “well balanced and therefore well adjusted individuals”.

Visually and aesthetically, the soothing and nurturing qualities of such natural phenomenon as snowdrifts and sand dunes continue to inspire me. Capitalizing on the warm effects of polished bronze, I use these graceful forms as a means to express the warmth of our human energy –the compassionate side of our nature. By applying centrifugal force and inertia principles to a pose that applies dramatic movement to the human anatomy, I am provided with the means to metaphorically apply form to this life nurturing energy (or that of our astral energy body) as it moves through space –so as to appear elegantly carved by the atmosphere. As a result, I am able to express the generous nature of life’s universal motif, and the means by which we can cultivate its life-nurturing objective.

“Transcendental Consciousness”

Cosmic-Synapse Neurological-Synapse

(MOCK VERSION -24” x 9” x 7” – a larger scale see less literal selection)

The mere conception and creation of this sculpture alone is meant to acknowledge and openly celebrate the importance of a superlative human archetype, while its aesthetic content strives to inspire us to meet this archetype as an ideal. It does so by visually demonstrating (by means of expression) the mental state (and that required in order to achieve this mental state) we as humans must achieve if we are to personally and collectively fulfill this ideal.

This requires the cultivation of both inner-discipline and inner-balance, attainments that together foster our potential to fully mature as human beings; a maturity that hinges on our ability to obtain and maintain the discipline we require in order to balance a relationship between both the realm of form and that of the formless, a relationship that has proven necessary if we are to meet any degree of our high minded potentials.

Another example would be to reflect on the inner-discipline required in order to maintain a healthy balance between the masculine and the feminine. Like that expressed through the Yen and Yang symbol of the east, this need drives each of us to seek the nature of our opposite sex in order to fulfill our innate longing to become whole and thus complete. Hence we naturally seek to obtain our innate need for inner balance by attempting to acquire those qualities we lack through the significance of so such profound relationships. The more we achieve (or at least experience) this balance between our masculine and feminine qualities for ourselves, the more we come to appreciate its balance as a quality in and of itself, and as a result, we honor and seek it in others.

Ultimately, these sculptural forms, aligned with the highly balanced movement implied by this sculptural pose, endeavor to aesthetically express what naturally falls in line with the intent of our life-force, that which recognizes, values and honors the human mind, soul, body and astral energy body equally, and requires that we nurture them the same way if we are to develop and participate in the fruits of our potential high minded consciousness. -Which naturally reveals itself through the temperament of the creative process.

Here! Symmetry and its stable use of balance play an all-important role in our human development. Eager to express the importance of nurturing the mind, the soul, the body and the astral body evenly, the pirouette in closed position relève manages to powerfully reveal the acquired stability we need in order to visually express and substantiate the importance “balance” plays as a powerful component in our personal and collective evolution. That which lends itself as a powerful visual metaphor that speaks on behalf defining its self and the discipline to effectively pursue it, as a profound human truth.

For the pirouette relies not on physical strength, as this sort of strength plays only a nominal role in its execution. On the contrary, technique and the discipline to fully focus are revealed as essential to cultivating the mind from beyond the mind while inspiring the body form beyond the flesh so that we may fulfill our role in life as; “well balanced and therefore well adjusted individuals”.

Visually and aesthetically, the soothing and nurturing qualities of such natural phenomenon as snowdrifts and sand dunes continue to inspire me. Capitalizing on the warm effects of polished bronze, I use these graceful forms as a means to express the warmth of our human energy –the compassionate side of our nature. By applying centrifugal force and inertia principles to a pose that applies dramatic movement to the human anatomy, I am provided with the means to metaphorically apply form to this life nurturing energy (or that of our astral energy body) as it moves through space –so as to appear elegantly carved by the atmosphere. As a result, I am able to express the generous nature of life’s universal motif, and the means by which we can cultivate its life-nurturing objective.

(WORK IN PROGRESS)

“Embracing Transcendental Consciousness”

This Sculptural grouping is an expression of my own impressions, realizations and experiences with the awe-inspiring state of metaphysical consciousness. Joy, along with appreciation and gratitude, are obviously among them.

As I have already stated, this Consciousness is the highly awakened state of awareness that allows us to consciously focus on the intensions expressed through our intuitions, thus allowing us to respond to the intelligence that presides over the paradoxical nature of the infinite universe. These intuitions come to us via the intelligence that allows our consciousness (here in the realm of form) to relate to the formless realm (to the empty formless side of life). This empty realm being the realm we acknowledge as the negative space that surrounds all form (even at a molecular level and beyond).

It is because we can participate in this higher state of consciousness, that provides us the opportunity to partake in the calming, and soothing qualities of inherent to its nature, that experienced through focusing on its subtle mantra, and using this state as a means of overcoming the emotionally driven chatter that habitually takes place in our heads, thus we relate to life through a calm, and rationally objective demeanor.

Unlike that of the ego, this level of consciousness is much more detached from any situation. Not detached from the effects, but from the overwhelming sea of thoughts, fears and momentary emotional panic that can prompt us to over-react. Therefore, providing us with the opportunity to penetrate the surface of each situation, revealing the sensitive intuitive insights that enable us to further investigate the deep human frailties and strengths that surface as the root causes of any disturbing or inspiring situation.

By internalizing this understanding for our-selves, it becomes obvious that, if we wish to effectively draw upon this state of being in any situation, we must be willing to make the effort to relate to our intuitions. For it is only through our ability to relate to our intuitions that allow us to foster our ability to empathize with others to the point that our empathy will naturally assume its obvious function. That of inspiring the compassion we need in order to understand the need for tolerance, acceptance and above all –-the forgiveness that opens the floodgates to a life-nurturing objective perspective on solving problems.

–Robert L. Landry