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plaster graphite
Not currently on view
Gift of Robert and Sheri Reindollar
Works by Charlotte-based artist Marek Ranis explore the perpetual effects of climate change and the urgency of our attempts to rectify them. Bunker III directly addresses our stunted existence in the face of global warming by combining one of history’s most commanding military leaders, Napoleon Bonaparte, and a floating iceberg. Although often a symbol of imperial dominance, here Napoleon slumps and sinks into the deceptive iceberg that conceals its massive form beneath the waters. In this case, Napoleon represents the arrogance of humanity’s perceived power and how that power, despite our best efforts, will always succumb to the overwhelming, and often unforeseen, forces of nature. Ranis also uses the glacier here to represent proverbial deceit; just as Napoleon fails to misjudge the depth of the iceberg, so too do we misread the serious threats posed by climate change. As an added component, Ranis makes the iceberg envelope the top of a land surveyor’s yellow tripod, which symbolizes Napoleon’s original global ambitions.
Accession Number: 2013.75.1
Measurements:
Copyright Information:
NEPL Mint signed nonexclusive license with artist 2016
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