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Glass with or without Metal

Seven Deadly Do-Noughts, 1997 (see Details below, and read proposal)
Fused glass with enamels and wire, with Russ Culler (limerick author)
28"H x 8"W each
First prize, for the exhibition "Seven"
The Sculpture Center, Cleveland, OH
Juror, Thomas Hinson, Contemporary Art Curator of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Detail (Gluttony and Lust)

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Proposal
Sculpture Center
18 April 1997
From: Rene Culler with Russ Culler
Title: Seven Deadly Do-Noughts

I propose to create a window installation based on the "sins" of NEA cutbacks in the United States based on the seven deadly sins. Artists, and supporters of the arts lament the lack of understanding of the necessity of the arts in contemporary society. There is a play on the words donut and do-nought, in the spirit of the absurdity of cutbacks. Each of the seven individual elements of the sculpture will be somewhat larger than life and donut shaped. Politicians try to "cut the fat" as do the obsessive dieters and the health conscious. I use the subject of the donut as a satire: it is a non-nutritional package of excessive calories. Unfortunately many people, including elected officials see the arts this way too.

I use glass as my medium because it is seductive. I put my donuts in the window like a bakery does to "attract customers". The colors I use are intense, and sickly-sweet enough to make your teeth ache- just like a fresh jelly donut.

Suspended below each interesting, larger than life donut inspired form (correlating in color and shape to the seven deadly sins) will be a glass card, advertising the "Sin" on one street side- such as gluttony, lust, sloth, envy etc. just like a sign that might say "creme-filled" or "jelly". The reverse side will display the contents or corresponding limerick. These plaques will be in sugar icing colors with the text painted in an inclusion of a porcelain enamel layer. These limericks are written by Russ Culler and provide the inspiration for the donut/do-nought form. Why limericks? Many consider limericks to be the junk food of poetry, often naughty but always entertaining. These particular arts inspired limericks are sweet desserts with an extra bonus of ideas to leave the viewer thinking.

Russ provides the initial inspiration for the work with this tasty tid-bit:

The artist must take on the role
Of a donut to a world full
Of too many treats:
And hope as it eats,
That the substance remains, on the whole.