San Diego Museum of Art - Aluminum Horse #3

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Bookmark: https://collection.sdmart.org/objects-1/info/10494

Aluminum Horse #3

Deborah Butterfield (AKA Deborah Kay Butterfield), American, b. May 7, 1949

Creation date: 1982

Creation place: United States

Other Information

Type: Steel and Aluminum Sculpture

Medium and Support: Found metal, rebar, barbed and smooth wire, aluminum

Credit Line: Gift of the artist

Accession Number: 1998.89

State/Province: Montana

Dimensions: 18 in. x 123 in. x 72 in. (45.72 cm x 312.42 cm x 182.88 cm)

Provenance

Marcia Weisman, Beverly Hills, California ( - )

Deborah Butterfield, Bozeman, Montana (1982 - October 15, 1998)

San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California (October 15, 1998 - )

Label Copy

Butterfield once responded to the question “Why just horses?” by saying, “For starters, of course, they’re not just horses. From early on, the horses were me.” Indeed, for the artist, each representation of a horse is a type of self-portrait. This work demonstrates the way in which Butterfield deftly weaves abstraction and a naturalistic approach in her portrayal of the horses. The physical body is composed of twisting and intricately woven strands of aluminum, resulting in abstract masses. In contrast, the outline of the horse and the gentle tilt pf the head so realistically capture the gestures of these revered animals. Butterfield was born and raised in San Diego, and pony rides in her neighborhood make up her formative memories of horses. She began her studies at San Diego State College (now San Diego State University) and completed her degrees at the University of California, Davis.
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Last Updated: 3/6/2017