Escher-Inspired Sculpture by Zadora-Gerlof, "Gravity"

This monumental, mind-boggling work of stainless steel was crafted by the famed jeweler and sculptor Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof, a man commonly regarded as America's Fabergé. The piece was inspired by the 1952 mixed media work Gravitation by the great Dutch artist M.C. Escher, a man celebrated for his so-called impossible constructions. With a high level of skill and precise planning, Zadora brings Escher’s 2-dimensional print vividly to life in a 3-dimensional sculptural work that seemingly defies the laws of gravity. Breathtaking in its massive size, quality and precision, the piece is a modern masterpiece of design.

Escher’s Gravitation was developed as part of an important series of works that the artist created during the mid-20th century that explored planetoids and stars in a science fiction world. Gravitation focused on the impossibility of multiple sources of gravity working together on a single object. Within his complex geometric structure, Escher places twelve turtles without shells, who use the star as a common shell. Represented in six colored pairs – red, orange, yellow, purple, green and blue – each turtle rests directly opposite its counterpart.

Though Escher’s creation is a physical impossibility, like all of his works, he presents it in a visually credible and logical way. That same mathematical precision is applied to Zadora’s version of the work. Exactingly rendered, the sculpture makes manifest the genius of Escher’s creation through precisely cut pieces of stainless steel and polymer. At first glance, the work appears to be a nonsensical jumble of turtle heads and limbs, though a closer inspection reveals the inherent symmetry and harmony of the ingenious creation.

The Canadian-born sculptor Baron Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof is recognized as the world's leading gemstone artist, and his international clientele includes the world’s most discerning connoisseurs. His pieces, which range from intricate sculptures such as this to innovative bespoke jewelry, are regarded as the most prized decorative artworks in modern times.

The sculpture is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist.

Created 2014-15

61" wide x 72" deep x 58" high

Exhibited:
Design Days Dubai, March 16-20, 2015