Viewmaster
Modern and Contemporary Art

Viewmaster
Artwork Details
Artist/Maker
Heide Fasnacht
American, born 1951
American, born 1951
Date
1988
Medium
Graphite dust suspended in matte medium on wood
Accession #
1988.51
Dimensions
65 1/2 x 64 x 37 1/2 inches
Location
On View - Wieland Pavilion, Skyway, Gallery 412
Description
The daughter of a tool-and-die maker, Heide Fasnacht grew up in suburban Cleveland and recalls her fondness for the nearby factory areas, which contributed to her love of machine-made and industrial objects. To make this sculpture, she stacked sheets of plywood then coated the exterior with graphite to give it a mechanical, metallic feel.
Fasnacht titled this sculpture Viewmaster in reference to optical instruments such as stereoscopes, microscopes, and binoculars. The sculpture’s shape—resembling a torso, heart, or phallic form—stems from her interest in the complex mechanics of the body and its organs, while also suggesting the body’s limitations.
Credit
Purchase with funds from the Lannan FoundationImage Copyright
(c) Heide Fasnacht