Boober 1965

Mark di Suvero made "Boober" from welded steel – its rusted surfaces and bolted joins bring a human touch to industrial materials. I can imagine di Suvero, with his love for jazz, improvising with these weighty components, each piece responding to the last in a kind of material conversation. The sculpture seems to balance raw strength and playful curiosity. The upward thrust of its forms contrasts with the sagging, almost comical, element at the front; it’s as if the sculpture has a personality. There's a legacy here, going back to Picasso's playful constructions and the grand gestures of David Smith. But di Suvero brings his own voice. Artists learn from each other, echoing and riffing off the past, but always pushing forward. It’s a kind of visual music, isn't it? Each artist adding their own verse to the song of art history.