Zanzibar Table Gold 1972

Barbara Chase-Riboud made Zanzibar Table Gold by contrasting the rough texture of rope with the sleek, polished surface of bronze. I can imagine her working intuitively. What does it mean to bring these two materials together? I imagine Chase-Riboud thinking about the weight and earthiness of the rope alongside the reflective qualities of the bronze. It must have been amazing to feel her way through the physical challenges of combining such different materials. The bronze looks like the top of a present, tied with the rope that also forms the pedestal. The combination of natural and industrial materials and the tension between the organic and the geometric create a work that is both grounded and elevated. It makes me think about the relationships between different textures and forms and how they might speak to one another. The sculpture feels like an ongoing exchange of ideas that embraces ambiguity.