Law of Physics 2004

This sculpture, Law of Physics, by Douglas Abdell is, well, it’s like a block of ancient wisdom, carved maybe from plaster or some kind of composite. Imagine Abdell, working, thinking, the studio air thick with dust. I see him, wrestling with ideas of language and form. And this piece, it's got a weathered, almost archaeological feel, that invites us to consider the weight of history and the power of symbols. Look closely, you can almost see the artist’s hand in every mark. The lettering looks like Arabic script, carved around some kind of enigmatic emblem, almost like a logo. It’s as though Abdell is exploring a different way of seeing, thinking and experiencing. In a way, this is what artists do – we’re all in conversation, remixing what came before, trying to make something new. Abdell’s piece feels like an invitation, a place for reflection, like a poem that embraces uncertainty and multiple meanings.