
Vermont sculptor Richard Erdman is accustomed to thinking big. From his Williston studio or in the marble city of Carrara, Italy, he has crafted weighty works in stone or metal for more than 115 exhibitions. His work is in private and public collections all over the globe, from New York to Singapore to Riyadh. His enormous sculpture "Passages," at the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo., is the largest in the world - 25 feet long, 16 feet high - made from a single piece of marble.
Erdman's latest sculpture - a bronze - is smack in the middle of the largest construction project in the State of Michigan: the brand-new MGM Grand Detroit Resort and Entertainment Center. The $800 million enterprise includes a 400-room hotel, a 14,000-square-foot ballroom, three "celebrity chef" restaurants and, of course, a casino. Oh, and parking for 4400. That's a lot of potential eyeballs for Erdman's "Sequita," installed in the central lobby over a reflecting pool. Reportedly, it appears to be floating - no small illusion for a 5-foot-long hunk of heavy metal. But, as always, Erdman has created a form that is both sinuous and sensual, abstract but oddly botanical.
Whether or not all those gamblers will save an economically depressed Motor City, Richard Erdman was a safe bet.
Comments
Comments are closed.
Since 2014, Seven Days has allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we’ve appreciated the suggestions and insights, the time has come to shut them down — at least temporarily.
While we champion free speech, facts are a matter of life and death during the coronavirus pandemic, and right now Seven Days is prioritizing the production of responsible journalism over moderating online debates between readers.
To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor. Or send us a tip. We’ll check it out and report the results.
Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. Thanks for reading.