Long Memphis 1973

Christopher Wilmarth’s “Long Memphis” is a dance between materials, and a meditation on process. It’s all about transparency, literally and figuratively. The piece is dominated by a large, curved pane of translucent glass, its pale green hue hinting at a quiet depth. Two dark, slender lines arc across the surface, like charcoal strokes on vellum. The surface of the glass is cool and smooth, contrasting with the implied weight and tension of the metal. Wilmarth’s process is right there on the surface, not hidden away. He embraced the subtle imperfections and irregularities in the glass, allowing the material to speak for itself. It’s like he’s saying, "Here it is, the raw stuff, the essence of form." You could say this interest in form echoes the work of sculptors like Richard Serra, who had a similar interest in industrial materials and reductive forms. Ultimately, “Long Memphis” invites you to slow down, to contemplate the interplay of light and shadow, of line and curve, and to appreciate the beauty of simplicity. It’s a reminder that art is as much about the process as it is about the finished product.