Two Benches by Howard Ben Tre

I chose “Two Benches” by Howard Ben Tre (1949), American and a pioneer in the use of cast glass as a sculpture medium.

This work is three dimensions, representational sculpture. At first glance, the work looks like a historical object. It is organized two benches, a big and small one. Additionally, a big bench is arranged at right angle with a small one in a room surrounded many windows. The works are massive solid. On these seats, the big is available for two normal ladies and the small is for one person. These shapes look like a letter H, symmetry and cubic convex polygon, sixty-two faces. Both benches make same form but just these seat sizes are different. Both sides are extremely uneven, like the reverse of upstairs. Medium is casting glass and painting iron sheet. Iron sheets are just sticked on the glass surface. In the part of Glass, chroma is very low and value is high. Glass is transparent, but not clear and no shine. It is a little blurred. If we try to look at opposite views, we cannot. The color is mainly cold color. Glass color is desaturated soft blue-green, like a pale celadon. Here and Here, its surfaces make some patterns, such as flowing white color and in several tints of fade black color. In the part of iron, chroma and value are low. Iron is painted verdigris color, this paint peeled of and then oxidized original iron color appears. The reverse color of iron is yellow. It is possible for us to see it at thin thickness. Glass surface has a lot of small bubble hole texture and looks like a rock. Iron one makes wrinkled and a little rugged.

This works are composed two main shapes, seat and sides, and assemble three or five parts. All composition lines are straight, but not artificial, namely natural. Furthermore, color is cool and the sense of touch is also cool. Therefore, I felt the work is statistic and no rhythm. However, inside glass solid, when glass get sunlight from the windows, many bubbles is sparkling and inner glass glimmer. Besides, it has the appearance of emission of light by itself. If I look at this work at close, I can see inner movement that bubbles rise up and go down. The work gives me two impressions, static and motion.

Having two faces and is why I chose this work. Moreover, I am interested in casting glass and big glass sculpture now, and I am surprised at the scale because I know that how difficult and hard he made this work.