Wendy with Chin on Hand 1982

George Segal made this plaster sculpture of Wendy with Chin on Hand at an unknown date. Segal's process really stands out here; he wrapped models in plaster-soaked bandages, creating these ghostly, textured figures. Looking at the sculpture, you can see the plaster is built up in layers, almost like sediment. It’s rough, raw, and you can almost feel the artist's hand at work. There's this tension between capturing a likeness and the inherent messiness of the material. Notice how the surface is uneven, with these little ridges and bumps. It’s not smoothed over or refined; it's like Segal wanted to leave the evidence of the making visible. The hand supporting the chin, for instance, looks like it's still emerging from the material, not quite fully formed, but full of expression. Segal’s use of plaster reminds me of Medardo Rosso, who also experimented with capturing fleeting moments in wax and plaster. Both artists seem interested in the ephemeral nature of existence, capturing a feeling more than a perfect representation. There’s something really beautiful about embracing that ambiguity, don't you think?