Hanukkah lamp c. 20th century

This Hanukkah lamp, made by an anonymous artist, is a little world crafted from bronze. The piece has been cast, probably in a mould, which is something that artists often do to make multiple copies of something. I’m drawn to the way the metal has aged, acquiring this beautiful green and brown patina over time. You can see the marks and scratches on the surface, all of which tell a story of use and history. The shapes are so charming, trefoils line the back like some kind of miniature gothic arcade. The repeated nature of those shapes makes me think about the nature of ritual and repetition in artmaking. And then there are these candle holders, each a little well, waiting to be filled with light and stories. You can almost imagine the hands that lit the candles, the whispered blessings, the flickering glow that illuminated faces gathered in celebration. It makes me think of Brancusi, and the way his sculptures are all about light and shape. And you know, art, like a good Hanukkah celebration, it's really about embracing ambiguity and multiple interpretations, about the light that can come from not knowing.