Beautiful Man II

2018, Pendele marble, 28"x12"x12'

 From the time they are small boys, the message men receive from society is that they are less beautiful, less sensitive and less nurturing than women. My hope is that this sculpture allows a viewer to see that, at least for the physical beauty aspect of that message, how completely mistaken that message is. This piece depicts a gorgeous man, strong without being pushy, assertive without aggression and celebrating the feminine with the tattoo on his back. Also, the tattoo refers to my "Bound Angel" series, depicting the triumphant Angel breaking completely free.
The sculpture material itself also thrills me even more than usual, because it is Pendele marble, the very same marble used in ancient times to build the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. After operating for 3,000 years, the quarry was closed, so blocks are becoming more and more rare. The opportunity to carve it it is precious to me and I have done my best to do it justice. It was the hardest marble I have ever carved, giving me a better understanding of why large sections of the Parthenon remain standing even today.