Tony Cragg

Description

At first glance a giant coil, Tongue in Cheek is actually, as the name suggests, a curved form inside a tubular nest. From the side it is almost like a tunnel, an inviting dark place one longs to crawl into. An immediately comforting shape, it is nevertheless slightly alien, looking not as a part of the body but rather as a bodily whole of another species, a mollusc or plant perhaps. It is this smooth completeness that characterises this sculptural object, and invites us to look at the idea of two of our most used bodily parts out of context; a concept in isolation moulded by Cragg into art object.



As this is not a figurative piece, however, it is clearly not an entirely literal title. To be tongue in cheek is to be light and glib, humourous, and this sense of lightness is suggested in the perforations that pierce and soften the usually heavy bronze. This also serves to create cavernous spaces and half-seen curves that are texturally intricate and suggestive of the oral cavity. The gold tinge of the patina draws our eye into the central cup of the work via reflection and shade, whilst heightening the preciousness of the sculpture. This, in turn, draws the eye through the discs of air into the very landscape and surroundings the colour separates the piece from. Thus, whilst it is a definitely crafted object, it works in conjunction with nature to form a mood of snug and happy contemplation. Perhaps it is this dualistic approach of weight and air, man-made and natural, object and body that is the ultimate tongue in cheek gesture; a non-committal metaphor of interplay.

The creation of hollow, perforated bronzes is something Cragg has been playing with in recent years, such as with Ferry Man, 2001. It is texturally exciting and creates a shadowy, ephemeral appearance. Like a ghost, the works are there and not there, otherworldly. Though they seem solid, they are honeycombed with air, and this rhymes with his double-meaning titles to create shells of mystery.