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Bonewall is a complex and multilayered piece in its process of creation, materials, and meaning. One of the earliest monumental bronze works by renowned sculptor Steve Tobin, the parabolic shape references the artist’s background in mathematics and physics. The piece is composed of more than 1,000 bison bones, each individually cast (and literally encased) in bronze using a unique process invented by the artist. The bones are both universal and singular in their significance and origins. As “archetypes,” they symbolize universal themes such as life, death, regeneration, and renewal. But they also were sourced from a bison co-op in North Dakota. The sculpture thus honors the iconic North American buffalo, acknowledging its sacrifice in the name of Western progress and modernization. The bones further convey the artist’s interest in repurposing found materials and transforming them anew. This is an overarching theme that links all of Tobin’s works.Label Type
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Gift of Roy and Lynn Neff