Untitled 2020

This "Untitled" artwork was made by EtchingRoom1 in 2016. The grey shades of this figure are pretty mesmerizing; the sculpture looks smooth, yet rugged, with a kind of quiet dignity. I imagine the artist gently carving away at the material, coaxing this form into being, with each cut and curve revealing a bit more of its personality. It has this simple, serene face with minimal features: just eyes and a slight smile. I wonder if EtchingRoom1 was thinking about the essential nature of humanity when they made it, or if they were just enjoying the process of shaping something new. Maybe they wanted to see what shapes would come out from the stone? Looking at this sculpture, I feel like I'm peeking into a very old conversation, like I'm seeing traces of folk art and modernist abstraction all at once. Artists are always borrowing from each other, remixing ideas and techniques across time. This sculpture reminds me that art isn't just about making a perfect copy of the world, but also about making something new and surprising.