Ram c. early 20th century

This small sculpture, Ram, was made by an artist from the Dogon culture of Mali, out of iron. It's beautiful, really. The artist simplifies the animal's form, emphasizing its essential qualities with a kind of directness that feels really special. The texture of the iron is rough and uneven, the rust adding a layer of history, a collaboration between the artist and time. It looks like the artist manipulated the metal when it was hot, forging those cylindrical legs and the head with its curious, hollowed-out ears. There’s a real tension between the simplicity of the form and the complexity of the material, how the ram is both solid and fragile. Look at the way the legs just barely touch the ground, as if it might take flight. I’m reminded of Giacometti, how he elongated his sculptures to give them a ghostly presence. This Ram feels like it’s walking a tightrope between worlds, a testament to the power of art to transform the ordinary into something magical.