Object Record
Images
Metadata
Artist |
Heric, John |
Title |
Metate |
Date |
1976 |
Medium |
Vermont marble, walnut wood, feathers, fur, bone, aluminum, beads |
Culture |
American |
School |
Tucson Artist |
Object ID |
1977.10.1-2 |
Collection |
Contemporary Art (1970-present) |
Object Name |
Sculpture |
Credit line |
Purchase Award, Arizona Crafts '77 |
Didactic Information |
John Heric's sculptural works draw from the past through images and symbols of Egyptian, Mayan, and Native American civilizations and the future through fanciful shapes from the artist's imagination. Working primarily in stone and metal, Heric created many public sculptures for corporations and institutions in Tucson in the 1980s and 1990s. He often designed his sculptures on a large scale so that people would be able to interact with them as part of the environment. In Metate, Heric emulates the stone surface that ancient Native Americans used to grind corn. He accentuates the fetishistic qualities of the sculpture by adorning his spare design with feathers and beads to create a feeling of mystery and to emphasize the concept of talismanic powers. In the 2000s, after thirty-four years teaching sculpture at the University of Arizona, Heric retired and moved to Washington State to pursue his passion for music until his death in 2011. |