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Using wood as his primary medium, E. George Lorio’s sculptures feature a metaphor of natural forms. These works employ motifs derived from the landscape, embracing myth and allegory. In this piece, Lorio expresses an interest in liturgical iconography by referencing the shape of a baldachin. Traditionally hung over an altar or throne, a baldachin was a canopy used as a sign of honor for whatever sat underneath. Over time, a fixed canopy became a common structure over altars in the Catholic Church, signifying the majesty of Jesus Christ and drawing attention to this important part of the church. Lorio’s soaring, volcanic canopy seems carved from the origins of time in the Garden of Eden. It sprouts primeval botanical forms, resulting in a work that evokes a provocative and earthy icon.
Lorio earned his MFA from the University of South Florida, Tampa in 1976, and has continued to teach and exhibit extensively since then. From 1985-87 he taught sculpture at Calvin College.