Slippery When Wet 2004

Editor: So, this is "Slippery When Wet" by Richard Deacon, created in 2004. It looks like a massive sculpture made of wood, and it just… sprawls. It has this earthy, almost industrial feel. What do you see in this piece, with all its twists and turns? Curator: Well, immediately, I'm drawn to how Deacon manipulates a familiar material like wood into something so seemingly fluid and dynamic. The title, "Slippery When Wet," suggests a paradoxical quality, doesn’t it? Wood isn't typically associated with slipperiness, but here, the curving forms create a sense of movement, almost like a frozen wave. Editor: It really does! Like the wood is being forced into these shapes. Curator: Exactly. Consider the psychological impact: traditionally, wood symbolizes stability and grounding. Here, Deacon subverts that expectation, presenting us with something unstable and visually restless. What associations might the material itself carry, considering our culture's memory of its uses? Think of ship building, for instance. Editor: Hmmm… building, and these curving shapes – could that be alluding to some kind of vessel, like a boat? Curator: Perhaps. Or even a deconstructed barrel, alluding to containment and then release. Deacon often plays with these contrasts: inside and outside, solid and void. Editor: I see! It's like he’s asking us to rethink the possibilities embedded in these fundamental materials. Curator: Precisely. He prompts us to question the stories and symbolic weight embedded within ordinary objects and forms, and the latent possibilities within our everyday lives. Editor: That’s really fascinating, thanks for untangling all those layers for me.