By Reed Essex
essexree@grinnell.edu
The 20 Minutes @ 11 talk series recommenced this week, with a presentation by Professor Eiren Shea, Art History, in Faulconer Gallery. She focused on the largest sculpture from the Archipenko collection. The piece, titled “Queen of Sheba,” is a large, humanoid-shaped copper sculpture that was made in the few years before Archipenko died.
Aside from the fact that that it was made in 1961, there is very little information known about the sculpture itself. Still, the piece is in keeping with Archipenko’s signature style, as most of his sculptures are based on female bodies.
Yun Zhao ’18 was excited about the return of the talk series, and was particularly interested in the discussion of Archipenko’s larger sculpture.
“I like the one on one engagement with a specific artwork in a gallery,” Zhao said.
Shea discussed the art at length, as well as incorporating the painting of the “Queen of Sheba” that hangs on the wall behind the sculpture. The piece itself is made out of slightly thick, molded copper sheets throughout the entirety of the structure. It has three tiers, the base, the middle and the head, all with what look to be etchings in the metal itself.
Though Zhao is regular attendee of the talk series, Shea’s talk was one of her favorites.
“I’ve been to a lot of other Faulconer Gallery events, but I’ve always wanted to come to this exact 20 minutes @ 11 talk,” Zhao said.
