Serif / Seraphim, Out of Emptiness‘Out of Emptiness’ refers to inspiration provided by the holes in the soda can tabs used in the WINGS OF WITNESS Holocaust project. The holes in the can tabs provide the empty space through which a wire and rod is passed, enabling the tabs to be connected together into feather structures that when accumulated together become the massive butterfly. These holes provide metaphorical reference, the emptiness of loss. But the holes also enable connectedness and vision. It is the emptiness of the tabs that Schrier finds of great significance. His interest in the power of vacant space led to a series of cut steel sculptures that create figure-like forms out of Hebrew words of significance, from the empty space within them. The words chosen represent human qualities that have helped a people endure beyond loss, helped to renew and rise out of emptiness individually and collectively; love, compassion, wisdom, generosity, righteousness, insight, knowledge, gratitude, understanding, and the root of these qualities, soul. The cut steel was inspired by early 20th century paper cut forms, by micrography (the forming of words and letters to resemble living organisms) and by the Kabalistic stacking of letters to form a figure. Each of the works is a single panel of steel with two winglike appendages that form the figure/words out of the empty space between them. Shadows from the sculpture panels result in the figure/words projected as light.
Left to right: Joy / Wisdom / Soul / Love
Serif/Seraphim, Selected works emphasizing light and Shadow:
Serif/Seraphim, Selected works emphasizing color:
For acquisition or exhibition information contact Jeffrey Schrier: jeanjeffs@aol.com |
