Collusion

© Mac Adams 1983, from the collection of the Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University. No reproduction without the permission of the owner.

Collusion, 1983

Mac Adams   —  
  • British
  • 1943

  • 2012:019
  • bonded bronze
  • 23 x 30 x 21 in.
  • Collection of the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University, Gift of Robert Freidus, 2012

Adams media is primarily photography and sculpture which intersect with each other through imagery and narrative. He draws from his dedication to storytelling informed by his Welsh heritage of folk tales, myth and mystery as a foundation in his work. Collusion is a sculptural manifestation mirroring the imagery of several of his photographs. Here, as in much of his other work, Adams creates scenarios where the viewer is opened to multiple interpretations. The person in the boat holds up an oar. Is he threatening the man in the water or about to offer help? What is the character Adams creates by portraying the oarsman in a hooded mask with cat like features? Is the person with raised hand pleading for rescue or release? This menacing and emotional scene is contrasted with the seeming indifference of the large seal or sea lion whose weight alone may disallow any additional passengers. In viewing this work with all its animated information and imagery, there is a wealth of interpretive possibilities for the viewer. The space between the image and the interpretation is what Adams plays at: the unending narrative.