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Robert Gober
Untitled, 1990

Artwork Info

Artwork title
Untitled
Artist name
Robert Gober
Date created
1990
Classification
sculpture
Medium
beeswax, pigment, and human hair
Dimensions
23 3/4 in. × 17 1/2 in. × 11 1/4 in. (60.33 cm × 44.45 cm × 28.58 cm)
Date acquired
2003
Credit
Collection SFMOMA
Purchase through a gift of Rita and Toby Schreiber, by exchange, various donors, the Members Accessions Fund, the Lenore and Ira Gershwin Fund, and the Accessions Committee Fund: gift of Carla Emil and Rich Silverstein, Lisa and John Miller, Helen and Charles Schwab, Norah and Norman Stone, Danielle and Brooks Walker, Jr., and Robin Wright
Copyright
© Robert Gober
Permanent URL
https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/2003.6
Artwork status
Not on view at this time.

Audio Stories

The made body, made vulnerable

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transcripts

NARRATOR:  

Curator Gary Garrels 

 

GARY GARRELS: 

Were looking at a sculpture by Robert Gober, an untitled work from 1990. Its made out of beeswax with then some—a little bit of paint and—and human hair. But it also has a kind of glistening quality, almost like a traditional sculpture made out of marble. Its quite detailed, very beautifully crafted. But at the same time, the hair makes it very, very creepy. 

It looks like a male torso. But at the same time, it looks like a bag thats been dropped on the floor. And then the more you look at it, a face emerges on the front of it. Its an object, but it becomes a kind of lifelike presence, potentially, a kind of animated body. Maybe theres a little bit of sadness in it. Its kind of sagging. In some ways, one almost wants to go up and comfort this thing.  

So I find it very moving emotionally, frankly. That it exposes the—the vulnerability of the body, the vulnerability of emotions. It confronts us with our fragility as human beings, with our mortality, with very existential issues about who we are as physical beings in the world.  

I have the pleasure of knowing the artist. And he has, also a wonderful sense of humor. The kind of wonderful absurdity of it, it can also be read as, as quite funny and humorous at the same time. 

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