For Those Who Have Ears #2 1983

Richard Deacon made this sculpture, For Those Who Have Ears #2, out of laminated wood, bending it and fixing it in ways that seem both calculated and intuitive. I love the rawness of the material here; you can almost smell the woodshop. The sculpture loops and curves, creating these vessel-like forms that suggest containers or maybe even musical instruments. There's a real sense of process, of the artist working with the material, letting the wood guide the form. The surface isn't polished or refined; you can see the layers of the wood, the way it's been shaped and joined. It's not trying to hide its construction, which gives it an honesty I admire. The way the loops intersect at the base reminds me of Eva Hesse's rope sculptures, that same interest in line and space. Ultimately, it's not about perfection but about the conversation between the artist and the material. It’s a conversation that keeps evolving, changing with each curve and bend.