Upside Down, Kneeling - continued

Like nearly all the monumental artwork at NMSP, Upside Down, Kneeling offers few concrete clues as to what exactly it represents. Mythological trickster? Fertility symbol? Aztec rabbit god taking a breather? You’re free to draw your own conclusions.

What we know is that the artwork consists of bound, galvanized wire over a steel frame. Ryder created a surface that is akin to a three dimensional drawing. It appears sold from a distance and then dissolves into a flurry of riotous lines as the viewer approaches.

Upside Down, Kneeling is split into two halves and it is possible to “enter” the sculpture. Like many NMSP pieces, it is interactive. Once inside the sculpture, you can look through it to the outside world.

NMSP Director and Curator Geoffrey Bates said Ryder has created many works in bronze and that allegorical images – minotaurs, horses, and dogs – are often found in her art. Bates said Ryder will be in Chicago for the International Sculpture Conference in October and will almost certainly visit NMSP.

Upside Down, Kneeling will be on display at NMSP through October.