The Vessel

Canadian artist and sculptor David Altmejd, who is widely recognized for his massive scale sculptures of anthropomorphic figures cast in a state of metamorphosis, recently unveiled his latest work exhibition in association with The Brant Foundation Art Study Center. Altmejd covered the space in mirrors as well as other sculptures such as The Vessel, a large-scale Plexiglass structure. Here, we found out why movement was the integral component to his inspiration.

Life+Times: What inspired The Vessel? It’s been said that the structure is intentionally impossible to grasp all at once – what inspired this logic?
David Altmejd: The Vessel was a movement. The movement of something that retracts a little, in order to gain energy just before throwing itself forward. Like a wave that draws back and swells with water and energy and is about to crash. Or the movement of arm that is about to throw an object. The idea of creating a sculpture that is too structurally and spatially complex to be grasped all at once comes from an interest in nature. The experience of nature is an experience of details that results in the impression of something great. I this way, I wanted The Vessel to be experienced through an infinite number of material details, that would lead to the impression of an immaterial grand movement.