About
Abstraction and figuration blend together in Hawthorne Tree. Reminiscent of a gnarled and thorny tree found in Witkin’s native South Africa, this work is one of six variations in a series, each representing different aspects of magical transformation. The theme is derived from a spell that was cast upon Merlin the Magician by a wood nymph, to whom he teaches his magic. The nymph goes forth in the guise of Merlin while he rests under the shade of a Hawthorne tree. By using bronze in an expressive way to mimic nature’s way of form-making, Witkin created a sculpture that is simultaneously grounded and atmospheric, enchanted and sacred.
Hawthorne Tree is currently on loan to Lambert International Airport for five years as part of the Lambert Art & Culture Program.
*Description is courtesy of the Laumeier Sculpture Park.
Dimensions: 5′ x 6′ x 5′
Year Completed: 1987
Material: Cast bronze, concrete base
Donor: Gift of Adam and Judith Aronson
About the artist:
Isaac Witkin
Isaac Witkin was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1936. At the age of 21, the sculptor moved to London where he attended St. Martin’s School of Art. In 1965, Witkin immigrated to the United States and became an artist-in-residence at Bennington College from 1965–79. Past exhibitions include: Locks Gallery, Philadelphia; Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, New York; Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey; and a solo exhibition at the Walker Hill Art Center, Seoul. Additionally, Witkin is featured in numerous public collections including: Centre for Modern Art, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon; Fine Arts Museum, University of Sydney, Australia; Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh; Denver Art Museum; Hayward Gallery, London; Storm King Art Center, Mountainville, New York; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts; Tate Gallery, London; and The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Witkin passed away in 2006.
*Biography courtesy of the Laumeier Sculpture Park.
