1983

Wing-Wave 3

English, born 1940

Reminiscent of ancient and primitive ritual objects, Wing-Wave 3 illustrates David Watkins’s commitment to modernity and body adornment. The multipart piece consists of three orbital forms reduced to minimal geometric elements. Watkins uses a restricted formal vocabulary and manipulates simple, abstract shapes. The circle is important for him: “putting circular objects onto the obvious parts of the body is what I do. . . . In a primitive sense, it’s what it really should be . . . putting something circular on your arm or neck.” Form, rhythm, and color prevail in Wing-Wave 3, stemming from the artist’s training as a sculptor and jazz pianist.