A skeleton, neatly assembled from scrap metal, stares back at you from a stark white wall. Immediately, the contrast between the wall and the sculpture makes one aware of an inherent aesthetic sense. The Greed Eater is a new distinct sculpture from the famous artist Jud Turner.
The skeleton art sculpture is of a magnified anglerfish. The bare boned skeleton is composed of shiny and dull machine parts and the structure is set in a monotonous tone. Probably this particular color tone has been chosen to convey the sense of monotony we encounter in our lives.
Upon closer inspection, you find that circular gears, belt-chains, and tubular pipes form the structural motif. It seems that the skeleton is a symbol of the mechanical lives we live in the mechanized cities. The structural motif of the skeleton– gears, belt-chains, pipes- emphasizes this further.
Your eyes continue to roam this intriguing piece for further clues. And that’s when you observe the shiny, George Washington imprinted coin attached to the esca of the anglerfish – bait for its prey. There is, probably, only one species on this planet that can be lured by a shiny penny – human.
This, ladies and gents, is the crux of this sculpture: the endless material greed that runs through our veins and how we let it consume us and fall prey to it. For greed can never be satiated.The sculpture is thus aptly titled, Greed Eater.
A common motif, underlining the sculpture-artist’s work, is a wiry frame built around hollow space. According to this art critic, the sculptures reflect our modern lifestyle: chaotic on the outside, but hollow on the inside.
The sculptures reveal an underlying tension between nature and technology. Greed Eater, for instance, is a skeletal structure of a fish (nature) created by machine parts (technology). The use of technology to depict a creation of nature is symbolic of the tilt towards technology – viewed by many as a potentially destructive one. Greed Eater was not created for any gallery, but for a private collector. One can only surmise the symbolism this sculpture has for the collector.
Created by sculptor-artist Jud Turner, Greed Eater is a poignant depiction of the never-ending quest for materialistic possessions, and how we have metamorphosed into empty skeletons, in pursuit of material greed. Jud Turner is known for sculpting pieces of art from pieces of junk and scrap. Art critics view his sculptures as a comment on contemporary life. Some of the more famous works of Judd Turner include The Crush, and Great Blue Heron, which also won a People’s Choice Award.
Isn’t this a beautiful creation for decorating your homes. Some other products by Jud Turner includes Reliquary and Fallen Skater.
