Zanzibar Table Gold 1972

Barbara Chase-Riboud created this sculpture called Zanzibar Table Gold with bronze and rope. I'm drawn to how the bronze appears to be almost exploding out of the more stable, coiled rope base. There's a real tension here between the textures, isn't there? The smooth, reflective sheen of the bronze against the rough, fibrous quality of the rope. I like how Chase-Riboud is playing with these contrasts. Look at the way the bronze is cast, the kind of gestural handling of the material, you can almost see the artist's hand in it. The bronze appears as if it has been shaped quickly, in contrast with the neatly, and methodically stacked rope beneath. This is just my take of course, but it seems very connected with the practice of artmaking. It reminds me a little of Lynda Benglis’ use of poured latex, just in the way the artist seems to embrace chance and unpredictability in the handling of the material. Art, in the end, is just a conversation, right? An exchange of ideas and approaches, and it leaves the door open for us to bring our own experiences to the table.