Sanctuary

In 1977 a fire destroyed a vast body of Martin Puryear’s sculpture, as well as many of the artist’s worldly possessions. Resulting in what he called “a period of grieving followed by an incredible lightness and freedom” the event proved pivotal in directing the artist’s subsequent work. One year later, Puryear began a series of sculptures around the themes of movement and shelter. Sanctuary embodies what he described as “mobility with a kind of escapism, of survival through flight.” The sculpture appears to be in a state of arrested motion. This whimsical and sophisticated work reconciles a longing for stability with a need for change. By pairing the wild tree saplings with a carefully fashioned shelter, Puryear celebrated the beauty of wood in both its natural and refined states.