Cultural Structures 1992

Harriet Bart, born in 1941, made "Cultural Structures" using a plumb bob and other materials. Reflecting on history and memory, Bart often uses found objects, infusing them with new meaning. In this piece, the plumb bob, traditionally a tool for measuring verticality and stability, hangs suspended, confronting a pair of dividers that are standing on a circular platform. The potential energy of the suspended plumb bob is held in tension, and the piece, which is reminiscent of scientific instruments, hints at the human desire to seek order. By bringing together a collection of diverse objects, Bart is asking us to reflect on the narratives they create together. Bart is a contemporary artist, who, since the 1970s, explores how we use objects to understand our place in the world and to measure and consider our existence. "Cultural Structures" serves as an emotional touchstone, inviting us to explore the subtle ways in which objects, memory and history shape our perceptions.