The Big Man (Seated Figure) by Tim Kyle
October 14th 2007 04:40
Shy big guy. Gentle giant.
Now, "The Big Man" is a very weird object -- immediately curious -- children go up to it and stare -- adults touch it (when nobody's looking), to reassure themselves.
And it's a monster, and exotic, and alive. It triggers things in you to contemplate it -- a shudder, a fascination -- all animals, humans included, are very sensitive to life. Cats notice something, and watch and stare: and in similar fashion, for whatever reason, humans stare at the Big Man, and must process it, and are frightened and amazed.
Like I've said before, I reckon that sculpture can't be photographed -- above all because photographs can never convince you that their subjects exist -- can never give "thereness". I mean, intellectually you can accept the thing in the photograph is real, but not behaviourally -- you haven't been taught yet -- haven't encountered it, haven't been affected by it.
***
Apologies for the blurry quality of these (not enough light, and didn't realize it at the time).
***
Approaching from a distance, it's weird, disturbing already. "What the hell was that?
Cosy in its corner.
It's big, naked, earth-coloured, rough and weathered, and strong. And it has bulk, mass -- it's heavily in place.
Though that mass can be oddly shapeless, blubbery.
And it gleams. What material is it made of? And what is he doing -- minding his own business, or waiting for you? Is he resting, or about to jump up?
Huge weathered hands. Children sometimes hold them.
Powerful arms. Chunky and muscular. And the muscles are real -- you extrapolate to what he does with them.
He could easily turn and swat you. For why is 'he' a 'he' and not an 'it'? That neck attaches to the body at an odd angle. And the proportions are weird, disturbing. The seated figure isn't human. At best, it is human qualities -- strength, self-possession, bulk, fat, patience, experience -- it is these things physicalized, or it is thought made flesh.
Small head, atop a broad, powerful chest.
And how cruelly marked is the body. Perhaps he is a mournful figure.
Disturbing mottling -- like disease, age, experience. Perhaps expressionistic -- the inside written on the outside.
Powerful knee. Rippling. What material is it made of? Whatever material it is shows through cruelly. And the skin has a living quality. Raw. Complicated and varied like life. Muscular, veinous with life. You want to touch it, to know it -- just like you might be attracted -- desiring and repulsed -- to touch a snakeskin.
Powerful knee and thigh. He holds himself. He looks down at you haughtily, you're insignificant.
As if boots are in-built. Crude functional feet, made for stamping around, crassly-designed, too-square, strong.
Sense of movement -- about to move. Or, at any rate, you can see perfectly how he would move, or could easily move, if he had half a mind to.
Simple name -- 'the big man'. Simple, crude, elemental qualities. Emerging into form from the dirt.
What does his face express? Who is he? -- Watchful, contemptuous, thoughtful, worried, brooding, slow and dumb, secretive, serene, calm, above it all, mournful, waiting, restrained, mustering strength to continue, timid, or plain inscrutable. The meanings vary with perspective. At any rate, he has an 'I'm here', 'I occupy my space' -- a presence, an unignorability.
No hair.
Big ears.
Strange neck.
Dark eyes.
Does the big man have thoughts and feelings like we do, or would its mind be incomprehensible to us, or is it rock-dumb?
Or does it feel more acutely, is it more human than we are?
Changes colour and mood with the hours. The most disturbing things are those which are almost-human.
***
Further reading
-- This sculpture won the Wynne Prize in 2003 under the name "Seated Figure" (don't know why Kyle changed it): "In the terms of the bequest of the late Richard Wynne of Mount Wilson, who died in 1895, the Wynne Prize is awarded to what the judges consider to be the best landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or watercolours, or for the best example of figure sculpture by an Australian artist... The Wynne Prize is judged by the Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales." Check out the image of Kyle resting on the Seated Figure's knee -- familiarly -- as if it's a protector.
-- Sydney University writes of the sculpture thusly (4 July 2003): "These two schoolchildren [the image shows something of the relative proportions] were at the University's Seymour Theatre Centre this week when they felt compelled to take a closer look at the giant at the top of the stairs. The 2.2-metre high fibreglass sculpture is none other than Tim Kyle's 'Seated figure' which won the prestigious 2003 Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW earlier this year. The work is part of an ongoing sculpture exhibition from Defiance Gallery, on show at the initiative of the Centre's newly appointed programmer, Moira Blumenthal." -- Don't know, by the way, why the sculpture is still here. Is it awaiting a purchaser?
-- Image of Kyle and sculpture at the art gallery (I think). The Seated Figure looks quite different in these surrounds, in the centre of a big white room. It's more absurd and dislocating and threatening (whereas at the Seymour Centre it could be waiting for a show).
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Comment by 'Ningana', Annandale
‘Seated Figure’ is only exceeded by Pyleman's latest monstrosity, ‘I-Sea’ (nobody else can see), which joins the North Head and Malabar sewer outfalls as Sydney's biggest coastal eyesore.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Vikki
Comment by Unclever title
I really want to see this in person now. It stinks that I live so far away.
Comment by Anonymous
This is very sad as I think he has made a home at the top of the stairs and I have seen how he causes strangers to chat, children to giggle and people to take time to consider whatever he stirs in them.
Some love him and obviously other do not but few would pass by without a thought. Maybe that is his legacy.
I grieve for the loss of the Big Man and hope where ever he goes he is enjoyed and appreciated the way he has been by staff and patrons of the Seymour Centre over the past years.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Ningana
"An artwork is great when the viewer is left with strong feelings......". The only strong feelings this viewer was left with was an urgency to regurgitate the previous night's dinner.
Regarding its impact on children, perhaps the Classification Board should consider giving this seated monster an "R" (Horror) rating.