"Guardian" - 2022
Materials: Epoxy painted stainless steel, 28' x 11' x 4'-10".
Location: Sacramento, CA
Commissioning Agency: Art in Public Places, Sacramento Office of Arts + Culture.
This sculpture features two identical figures joined at the waist, positioned back-to-back. By facing in opposite directions simultaneously, the piece symbolizes the unwavering vigilance and total commitment of firefighters to their community.
The design draws inspiration from Michelangelo’s depiction of God on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. In that work, the divine figure is shown moving both toward and away from the viewer to represent omnipresence.
In a similar vein, this sculpture translates that "all-present" quality into a tribute to the fire service. It evokes a sense of a watchful presence that is forever ready and always there.
(Click on the thumbnails below to see an enlarged version.)
