George Segal: Street Scenes

May 9, 2009—August 2, 2009

Hands On
Segal’s presence is uniquely evident in Street Scenes. Photographs made by his friend, Donald Lokuta, document the artist making sculptures and roaming city streets. Segal’s three-dimensional, life-size double appears at times in his own work.

He created figural forms using his hands to press plaster-laden bandages onto the model’s body and clothing. His touch remains embedded in textural surfaces. The artist manipulated certain details, inventing folds in clothing, exaggerating body parts or poses for dramatic effect. Segal’s expressive touch is evidence of the art-making process and functions as an abstract signature.

Segal’s sculptural vignettes include real objects and casts from real people, but they are surreal at the same time. The uncanny figures create an aura of mystery, reminding us that we are encountering the imaginary realm of art.