Nymph and Satyr 1945

Reuben Nakian made this "Nymph and Satyr" out of plaster, giving it a timeless feel with a limited palette of white and off-white. It is all about the making, isn't it? Nakian's hands seem to have loved wrestling with this plaster. See how the surface is all nubbly and uneven? The marks are so present. The forms emerge from this rough texture, like something primal being born. I’m drawn to the nymph’s arm, thrown back in what could be ecstasy or maybe struggle. It's not smoothed or refined; it's raw, like the clay is still squirming. Nakian shares something with Rodin and his rough, emotive surfaces, but also looks forward to the process-based work of someone like Lynda Benglis. Ultimately, art is a conversation, and Nakian embraces the mess and ambiguity.