Memorial Tablet to the Late E. F. Andrews 1917

Richard Edwin Brooks made this bronze memorial tablet to E. F. Andrews, sometime around 1919. I am taken with how the image has been built up, how the light seems to catch on certain areas of the raised relief, creating a feeling of depth and dimensionality. It reminds me that artmaking is a process of layering and building, both physically and conceptually. Look at the folds in Andrew's jacket, see how they seem to almost melt into the background. Notice too, the way the artist has worked the bronze to create a subtle texture, almost like the weave of a fabric. This attention to detail gives the piece a tactile quality, inviting us to reach out and touch it. The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation, of memory and presence. In some ways, Brooks's approach reminds me of Rodin, or even Medardo Rosso, how they explored the possibilities of sculpture as a medium for capturing fleeting moments and emotions. I like to think about how artists, through their work, engage in an ongoing dialogue across time, each building upon and responding to what has come before.