pic
FRANK MORBILLO
Medium Bronze, metal, stainless steel
Website
www.morbillosculpture.com
E.mail morbillo@earthlink.com
Frank's earlier work with powerful geometric elements has evolved into more fluid sculpture with curved, gestural forms and a greater sense of motion. The development of actively created cast bronze elements has allowed Frank to emphasize in his sculpture a much freer sense of this dynamic motion, without losing the essential natural, organic quality of the work. Frank begins his process by fabricating the main geometric elements of a sculpture out of flat metal sheet. He then lays those elements out in a bed of specially treated sand, like laying out puzzle pieces to see how they'll fit. To simulate the sense of organic forming, Frank pours molten bronze into the spaces between the fabricated metal elements to thicknesses of 4" - 6". Then, while the metal is still in its partially molten state (at temperatures of 1,900 F - 2,000 F), he manipulates it by pulling and shifting the fabricated elements, to which the cast bronze has already begun to bond. - The rapidly cooling bronze hardens, cracks and sinks in naturalistic patterns filling the void left by the elements. Frank has shifted in a simulation of the larger natural forces of erosion and gravity. This organic forming captures the artist's desire to portray in sculpture the forces at work in the natural environment. In the fountain works, moving water replaces the cast bronze as the apparent natural force which manipulates and shapes the fabricated sculptural elements. Whereas the bronze-and metal sculptures represent a moment captured in time, with elements frozen in the state of change, the fountain pieces seem to be actively shifting under the dynamic force of the flowing water.
GALLERIES
- Shidoni Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
- Yates Gallery, Fountain Hills, AZ
SELECTED EXHIBITS:
- 2004 Manifesto, at The Sculpture Ranch, Santa Fe NM
- 2004 A New Leaf Gallery 'Water Works 2004" Berkeley, CA
- 2004 Lumina Gallery North, Taos, New Mexico
- 2003 Furniture Show, Shidoni Arts Gallery, New Mexico
- 2002 "Sculpture, NOW," inaugural sculpture invitational, The Sculpture-Ranch, Santa Fe, New Mexico
- 2002 "In the Round: Sculpture at the Roundhouse," Governor's Gallery, New Mexico State Capitol. Santa Fe, NM
- 2001 "30th Anniversary Outdoor Sculpture Show," Shidoni Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
- 2001 New Leaf Gallery, Ten Year Anniversary Show, Berkeley, CA
- 1999 Cheekwood Museum and Botanical Gardens, Nashville, TN
- 1999 Karen Newby Gallery, Tubac AZ
- 1999 Paseo Sculpture Show, Palm Springs CA
- 1998 "Bronze Age '98," New Leaf Garden Gallery, Berkeley, CA
- 1998 Ridhwan Sculpture Garden in Taos, NM
- 1998 "25th Anniversary Outdoor Sculpture Show," Shidoni Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
PUBLIC & PRIVATE COMMISSIONS
- "Dance Partners Fountain," Lumina Gallery North, Taos, New Mexico.
- "Healing Partners," New Mexico Cancer Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- "Dancing Curves," Appleton Public Library, Appleton, Wisconsin
- Northwestern Mutual Life, Dallas
"Walking Wall "
Bronze
6"x48'x24'
"Dance Partners "
Stainless steel
18'x6'x5'
NMSGAnnouncements | Events | Members | MarketPlace | Contact NMSG

 

©2007 NMSG