Spreading Your Wings

The mythological story of Icarus is “…interpreted variously as an allegory of pride, or of man’s quest for knowledge,” as The Bloomsbury Guide to Art stated in their article (“Icarus”). This idea of the quest of knowledge itself applies to the work of Russell Whiting, a sculptor whose work is featured in the River Gallery Sculpture Park of Chattanooga and who sculpted a statue of Icarus as well. In correlation with the interpretation of the story of Icarus being a man’s quest for knowledge, Whiting did not just fall in love with the process of carving steel, but also with the potential for self expression, variation, and knowledge regarding steel still left to be attained. The majority of Whiting’s work illustrates the fact that he came to know “molten steel can be dripped, sagged, pierced, cut and gouged, all determined by the application of heat and oxygen pressure” (“Russell Whiting: Artist Bio.”). With the use of his oxy-acetylene torch, he created a steel theme for his sculptures and is able to establish the versatility of steel within art. Though he also incorporates mixed media into his pieces and works with bronze, steel is a key component. One piece of Whiting’s collection which can be seen at the River Gallery Sculpture Garden is his representation of Icarus. In Greek mythology, Icarus was the son of Daedalus, who built the labyrinth for King Minos of Crete in order to imprison the Minotaur. Minos imprisoned Daedalus and Icarus as well, though. However, being a craftsman, Daedalus constructed two pairs of wings from wax and feathers. When Icarus donned the wings and flew away from his prison, he flew too close to the sun – causing his wax wings to melt and him to fall to his death into the ocean. The mythology behind the statues of Icarus fits fluidly within Whiting’s work as he even stated himself, “The creation of my images is influenced by many factors: religion, ancient culture,

Cited: “Icarus.” The Bloomsbury Guide to Art. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd, 1996. Credo Reference. Web. 30 October 2012. “Russell Whiting: Artist Bio.” Gallery Minerva. n.p., n.d. Web. 2 November 2012. “Russell Whiting.” Saatchi Online. Saatchi Online, 2012. Web. 10 November 2012.