Triton 1913

Ludwig Manzel's sculpture gives you a chance to consider what it must have been like carving stone with chisels and hammers. I’m looking at the texture and how it almost looks like the surface of the sea itself, rippling with life. I imagine Manzel chipping away, thinking about how the figure would emerge out of the stone, not just what it looked like, but what it *felt* like to the touch. The stone is weathered, like it’s been sitting out in the elements forever, and I think that’s part of what makes it so compelling. It reminds me of ancient sculptures, like it could have been around for centuries. How many hands have touched this? How many people have looked at it and wondered about the story behind it? Manzel’s Triton becomes a part of an ongoing conversation, a back and forth across time and space, inspiring creativity. It is a form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and allowing for multiple interpretations.