Indigene
Artist: Clifford Ward
Sponsor: Hopewell Valley Arts Council
Design Statement
Embracing the mythologies, cultures and ethos of the African Diaspora, Australian Aborigines, Native Americans and Maori People of New Zealand through dance, religion and spirituality, my work has evolved into a “potpourri” of many of these indigenous peoples’ cultures.
My work is developed from first idea/subject and then my symbols and designs are improvisationally drawn. The color combination of black with unbleached titanium is used to give textural visual effects. With my ox, I thought this was appropriate since it is a set/finite subject, but the design work has no limits. Ancient, indigenous-like designs and symbols are always consistent with my work. With gold being the principal or most valued metal in alchemy, I have used it sparingly on the elegant, spiritual ox.
I gave the name “Indigene” to my ox because it is a strong, tribal-like figure that remains consistent throughout my work and acts as my symbol for so many of these ancient cultures. The ox, likewise, is a strong and symbolic animal.
It is important that I bring my work to ‘ordinary, everyday’ people, for it is from these people (past and present) that my work is inspired.
Indigene was purchased at The Year of the Ox gala for $2,600.
About the Artist
Clifford Ward is a resident artist at the Grounds for Sculpture. He entered the Johnson Atelier in 1997 where he first worked as an apprentice. Cliff became a teacher in metal chasing, then a teacher on the technical teaching staff in metal chasing.
Currently residing in Philadelphia, Cliff’s work has been displayed in numerous regional exhibitions in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York. His work was recently on display at The Gallery at Chapin in Princeton, NJ.
Cliff’s sculpture, “Grace of Judith”, was chosen as a gift for Dr. Maya Angelou upon her visit to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA in 2005.
One of Cliff’s most unique projects was being chosen to work with the paleontology mounting team of the Natural History Museum of New York to articulate ‘SUE’ …the largest, most complete and most controversial dinosaur ever discovered. After being seized by the FBI for ten years, SUE was auctioned by Sotheby’s and eventually purchased by McDonalds, Disney and the Field Museum of Chicago, where it is permanently housed.