Random Axial Sculpture in an Historical Context:
Henry Moore's "Three-Way Sculpture: Points"
Derek Kerslake
July 1999.
Henry Moore describes his intentions for a multi-position sculpture entitled, "Three-Way Sculpture: Points".
"Three-Way Sculpture: Points', was an attempt to show one work from below as well as from on top and from the side. My idea was to make a new kind of sculpture, less dependent on gravity, which could be seen in at least three positions and be effective in all of them . . . This worked in the maquette, but I made the finished bronze sculpture too large and heavy [Fig.1] to be turned over by one person", (Hedgecoe/Moore, 501, HM).
Fig.1
Moore with "Three-Way Sculpture: Points"
(p214, Wilkinson, Alan G. Henry Moore Remembered .
Toronto: Key Porter Books, 1987.)
The work above is obviously too large to be moved easily but "Three-Way Sculpture: Points" illustrated below in figure 2, about 28 inches high and the work to which Moore probably referred to in the quote, is still too heavy. Figure 2 is the same form but seen in a different orientation than the larger work above.
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Fig.2
"Three-Way Sculpture: Points"
(p500, John Hedgecoe and Henry Moore, Henry Moore.
Simon and Shuster, New York, 1968.)
Moore referred to himself as a carver of stone and wood, although a large portion of his sculptures are done in bronze. All three mediums are too heavy for large multi-position art intended be turned by the viewer or participant. Even midsize sculpture in bronze or stone is still quite heavy as is solid wood.
I have found, hollow laminated wood sculpture of the size in figure 2, would weigh about 45 pounds which is marginally acceptable for viewer participation on a limited basis. It is most likely that fibre re-enforced plastics is the best solution for multi-axial sculpture of 3 to 6 feet in size.
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