Those Walls of Stone 1962

Reva Urban created "Those Walls of Stone," presenting us with a stark interplay of shapes dominated by the enclosing form of what seems to be a stylized eagle. The eagle, an ancient symbol of power and freedom, appears here confined, almost trapped within its own form, a symbol of strength paradoxically bound. Across millennia, the eagle has represented divinity and imperial authority, from the Roman Empire to the modern nation-state. The artist seems to be delving into a psychological space where the primal urge for freedom clashes with self-imposed limitations. It's a modern echo of ancient struggles, reminding us that symbols evolve but their emotional core persists. The motif of entrapment, of power turned inward, resonates through time, from classical myths to contemporary anxieties, reflecting our eternal battle with the self. This circular motion is the eternal return, always transforming, always in flux.