Stephen De Staebler is a contemporary American sculptor and printmaker, born in Saint Louis in 1933.
His art study took place in Black Mountain College under Ben Shahn and Robert Motherwell. De Staebler also received BA in religion, when he graduated from Princeton University. MA was received by de Staebler in University of California. In 1960-s and 70-s de Staebler predominantly worked with fired clay, however, began to make various bronze casting in the mid 80s (Adams, 92).As de Staebler attention was focused on monotypes, he introduced his unique sculptural manner to them.
Typically he realized his monotypes through attaching layers of tape and broken acrylic glass, inking them and pressing many times. Many of de Staebler monotypes are associated with body parts. De Staebler work, approaches and significance. De Staebler’s main theme and subject in his sculptures is fractured human body.
For instance, in his 1998 exhibition at Franklin Parrasch Gallery in New York he presented a human leg, as a reduction of human body.However, such themes have little to do with corporality, but rather convey deep metaphysical meaning. Objects in De Staebler’s sculptures are often presented in large sizes, as mentioned leg that is six feet high. While the form and ideas transmit metaphysical sense, the material used – clay, conveys the sense of corporality. In these themes and subjects De Staebler evidently follows such modern sculptors as Auguste Rodin, who evoked the fractured human forms in sculpture (Selz, 2002). However, De Staebler contribution lies in his successful attempt to present symbolical dimension of ‘disjointness’ and ‘incompleteness’ of human being through articulating their parts.
Large sizes of these human parts may be explained by De Saebler’s desire to articulate them as some kind of subconscious trauma that informs human subjectivity, as some kind of phobia (Clark, 2009). De Staebler’s religious education and knowledge of theology particularly influenced his works in 60-s-70-s period. Then, taught by Voulkos, Schnier and other notable sculptors, de Staebler created a number of horizontal sculptures, resembling landscapes. As Selz suggests, these landscapes often allude to ‘the curvature of the human body’ and are characterized by nature anthropomorphization (Selz, 2002).
Such allusions evidently reflect de Staebler belief in the close connection between human beings and nature. De Staebler sculpture and architectural contribution includes several ecclesiastical artworks, created in the end of 1960s.They include crucifix and sanctuary in the Newman Center in Berkley. In that period de Staebler becomes aware of the clay as a crucial material in the contemporary culture due to its organic character, softness and toughness as two distinct phases of sculpture creation, using clay.
It should be noted that in 80s, when de Staebler began actively use bronze in his sculptures he managed to ‘retain the cracked earth appearance of clay while gaining greater permanence, structural strength, and monumentality’ (Selz, 2002). However, beginning from 90s de Staebler again returned to clay. Such intimate relationship attachment to clay may be explained by de Staebler critical attitude towards technology and its dehumanizing influence on people and the world.The use of natural materials is for de Staebler the way to promote attentive relation to nature. Identification and Description of De Staebler’s works of art1.
Standing Woman and Man (1975) represents the work of De Staebler’s early clay period. Two figures are embedded in clay supports in the manner of great Egyptian effigies in rock temples. The sculpture is realized in the form of free-standing stelae, in which stacked human figures are characterized by baroque complexity and modernist partiality. Human figures are created in a manner that it is difficult to discern their gender.
Such approach is a conscious attempt to represent human archaic universality and androgynous structure.The symbolic fragmentation is reflected in the absence of the first figure’s left leg and the second one’s right leg, which creates the impression that one person is divided into to distinct parts. However body forms are proportional and symmetrical no emphasis on the classic perception of human beauty is made. Instead, body parts represent certain corporal symbols, rather than organic unity of human body.2. Left-Sided Angel (1986).
This sculpture is realized in cast bronze in 1986. Its size is 8 feet high with 6 feet base. De Staebler Left-Sided Angel has nothing to do with divine creatures, traditionally portrayed in Christian churches. Angel’s figure is quite worldly, having only one left wing intact. In this way de Staebler seems to symbolically present the broken nature of human subjectivity, the unrealized nature of human soul.
Left Sided Angel stands on toes of his single foot. The figure seems to be captured in the moment, when it loses balance: spectators are to decide what it symbolizes – falling or starting to fly. The discussed sculpture echoes standard themes in de Staebler work: fragmented nature of life, despair. However, unlike his pessimistic works it gives a sense of hope, which is to be interpreted by engaged spectators.3. Wing Woman Walking (1987).
This work is among the first major figures in bronze, created by de Staebler, which is moving. As in the Left Sided Angel sculpture the figure lacks one wing. Its torso is disproportional with legs that are particularly long and athletic. Such disproportional emphasis on legs seems to symbolize the idea of moving, as the central practice of living.
Moving forward notwithstanding any obstacles and traumas is evidently conveyed by these healthy legs, carrying fragmented body.
