-Robert E. Lee- still bank c. 1955

This is a cast iron still bank of Robert E. Lee, made by Banthrico, sometime after 1931. What strikes me about this piece is the material itself, the heavy cast iron, which is trying to be bronze. It’s that kind of striving and failing that gets me going. The patina is brown, with hints of copper, but mostly it feels heavy and still. Look at the tiny bow tie. It's rigidly symmetrical, frozen in time, weighed down by the iron. The face is inexpressive, fixed in a kind of stoic mask, that gaze is directed somewhere beyond. It makes me think of Charles Ray’s figurative sculptures, which also play with weight, material, and representation. Both artists use the figure to explore questions of history, memory, and the burden of representation. And like a good painting, this piece has a lot to tell us if we’re willing to look closely and ask questions.