LIFE IS PERFECT

Are we in harmony?

Life Is Perfect, 2014
Marble and wax
Unique work
H60 x W30 x D30cm
© Mark Humphrey

“LIFE IS PERFECT EXPLORES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BALANCE AND IMBALANCE, PERFECTION AND IMPERFECTION. CONSTRUCTED FROM MARBLE, THE SCULPTURAL FORM COMBINES A BLACK-AND-WHITE ‘YIN YANG’ APPEARANCE WITH A NEUTRAL GREY BASE. WHEN PERFECTLY UPRIGHT AND ALIGNED, THE TWO HALVES MEET IN PRECISE EQUILIBRIUM, WITH THE CENTRAL DIVISION LINING UP WITH THE HOLE BELOW – A MOMENT OF APPARENT PERFECTION.

YET THE SCULPTURE CAN BE SHOWN OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE FORM TILTS, DISRUPTING THE SYMMETRY AND REVEALING HOW EASILY BALANCE CAN BE LOST. THE BLACK AND WHITE HALVES SUGGEST THE DUALITIES THAT SHAPE OUR LIVES – LIGHT AND DARK, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, OPTIMISM AND PESSIMISM, STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS. THE SCULPTURE ASKS WHETHER PERFECTION IS SOMETHING WE CAN ACHIEVE, OR ONLY SOMETHING WE EXPERIENCE IN FLEETING MOMENTS, IF AT ALL.”

Mark Humphrey