Venus On Fire Essay

The piece I chose is Venus on Fire by Erika Verzutti. This artwork is a bronze sculpture made up of three different type of forms based on pumpkins and other vegetation. A small bumpy sphere that has been flattened on one side sits on the bottom under the center of the middle piece that resembles a kobocha squash. This middle piece over hangs the bottom one by a couple of inches. Placed on top center with is large side down, tapering up to a peak is a figure that resembles an indented soursop or pear fruit with a bite out of it. All of these pieces are very centered and balance, nothing is leaning or tilting.

Verzutti uses a lot of texture on these shapes. The top pear shaped one is covered in small bean shaped indents. While the middle one is mostly smooth with a few deep lines carved into it spaced a few inches apart. Finally the bottom piece is incredibly textured with raised bumps covering the entire thing. The use of bronze mixed with
It stands 55 1/8 inches tall by 24 6/8 inches by 24 6/8 inches. The piece “aims to distill the essential physical qualities of natural objects”. (“Gugenheim.”) She tries to capture the fantasy side of an object rather than its truthful side. This piece in particular is inspired by the Venus of Willendorf having the same purpose of symbolizing fertility. Verzutti was born in Sao Paulo in 1971. Her studies included industrial design at Universidade Presbiterana Machenzie in Sao Paulo, she later continued her post graduate studies at Goldsmiths College in London. Her works use are located somewhere between real and fantasy. Many of her pieces are based off of animals or vegetation. She also includes her happy accidents in her works, things such as scratches, breaks and stains. (“Gugenheim.”) In 2010 she worked with a group of Brazilian artists to create the sculpture Seven-Headed Monster this piece was considered to be part of Brazil’s modernism art