Robert Therrien
American, 1947-2019
No title (silver pitcher), 1985
Artwork Details
Materials
tin on bronze
Measurements
overall: 60 x 29 x 29 inches (152.4 x 73.66 x 73.66 cm)
Collection Buffalo AKG Art Museum
Credit
The Panza Collection and George B. and Jenny R. Mathews Fund, by exchange, George B. and Jenny R. Mathews Fund and Charles Clifton Fund, by exchange, 2008
Accession ID
2008:53.65
Robert Therrien takes inspiration from household items such as oilcans, keyholes, dinner plates, bowls, beds, tables, chairs, and even snowmen. He transforms them into predominantly large-scale sculptures that evoke wonder and memory. In his work, Therrien approaches ordinary things from a whimsical perspective and entices us to do the same. In choosing to appropriate everyday objects that are deeply rooted in American culture, Therrien is able to evoke memories that are ambiguous, yet familiar. While his work is often associated with Pop art or Minimalism, Therrien is not concerned with inciting social commentary or stripping these objects of their contexts. Instead, his imagery is rooted in the collective unconscious.
Label from For the Love of Things: Still Life, February 27–May 29, 2016