The Ball 1999

This is 'The Ball' by Dusan Dzamonja. I think of him, like me, working away in the studio, maybe with some tunes on, just building something out of nothing. I imagine Dzamonja collecting and welding together found materials to make his sculptures. 'The Ball' is a massive form, yet when you look closer you see the tiny repeating units that make it whole. It reminds me of the work of Anthony Caro, who also worked with found steel. He was a formalist and a master of assemblage. The texture of the ball is contrasted by the smooth round basin, and the classical architecture in the background. So many visual and tactile sensations going on at once! It’s all about bringing together different energies and ideas to create something new. Ultimately, art thrives on this exchange of ideas, across time and between artists. It's a big conversation, a kind of dance, isn't it? I like that.