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  /    /  Matched in Flight

Matched in Flight

  • created 2024
  • garden ice and fox island granite
  • 51”H x 17”W x 12”D  (129cmH x 43cmW x 31cmD)
  • private collection, Calgary, AB, Canada

Michael Binkley carved this sculpture from a block of garden ice granite which was quarried in Australia. The interesting aspect of this granite is that it has red garnets throughout the black and white striated background, giving the stone a slightly brown hue from a distance. Look at the detail at the bottom of this page.

 

The form is a pure abstract and it appears as though there are two different types of stone used in the composition. This is a purposeful intent my Binkley and in fact the whole sculpture is one single stone, save for the grey granite square base on which the sculpture stands. The two graceful elongated forms are one piece of garden ice granite. The illusion is achieved by polishing the taller form to a smooth surface and the lighter coloured form has a slightly rough chiseled finish. This allows the deep colour of the garden ice granite to be visible in the taller form, yet look almost white in the smaller form. The artist has undercut the area where the two forms join, further enhancing this illusion of two separate stones.

 

Binkley’s intent is for the lighter form to appear as though it floated down from above and settled gently onto the larger form and is embracing it. There is a negative space created between the elongated tops of each from, as they gently curve away from each other. Although the sculpture is very heavy in weight, the tall slender curves of the sculpture and the narrow tops create a felling of airy lightness.

 

As it is carved from granite, this sculpture would live happily indoors or outdoors in a wide variety of climates.