The sculpture is dedicated to those who mourn losses in war, genocide, and political terrorism. The piece is conceived from the point of view of the viewer ... those who have suffered loss.
This is one of five pieces originally proposed to honor the "desaparecidos" in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Its meaning has expanded to embrace the more specific contemporary losses from 9/11 and the Iraq war.
This installation is both commemorative and unifying. It consists of a bench and four sharply cut fragments of benches sited in a 15 foot concentric, yet open, oval. The contrasting elements—the whole and complete, the torn and ripped, are testimony to the sudden loss experienced by the survivors.
Viewers are encouraged to sit in the piece. The bench and remains have a curving, enveloping form bringing participants together, recognizing the unspeakable loss of the victims ... and the hopefulness of joining with others to find resolution.
The elements encourage an interaction, a 'joining together'—a communion. Places to sit among them are "missing"—"disappeared"—to honor those who are not there and to acknowledge their missing voices.
In form and shape, the benches are a series of three-dimensional, gestural strokes, as if from the ink of a calligraphy brush in the Japanese enso circle form. The strokes embrace and hold the viewers. The circle form suggests both emptiness and completion—inclusion and universality—emptiness and nothingness.
Artist's Comments
This is one of five pieces originally proposed to honor the "desaparecidos" in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Its meaning has expanded to embrace the more specific contemporary losses from 9/11 and the Iraq war.
This installation is both commemorative and unifying. It consists of a bench and four sharply cut fragments of benches sited in a 15 foot concentric, yet open, oval. The contrasting elements—the whole and complete, the torn and ripped, are testimony to the sudden loss experienced by the survivors.
Viewers are encouraged to sit in the piece. The bench and remains have a curving, enveloping form bringing participants together, recognizing the unspeakable loss of the victims ... and the hopefulness of joining with others to find resolution.
The elements encourage an interaction, a 'joining together'—a communion. Places to sit among them are "missing"—"disappeared"—to honor those who are not there and to acknowledge their missing voices.
In form and shape, the benches are a series of three-dimensional, gestural strokes, as if from the ink of a calligraphy brush in the Japanese enso circle form. The strokes embrace and hold the viewers. The circle form suggests both emptiness and completion—inclusion and universality—emptiness and nothingness.
About the Artist
The study of Martha Graham dance, 1979-83, including a time drawing at her studio in New York, led to a series of calligraphic drawings where the intensity of the movement in the class seemed to flow spontaneously and automatically from the calligraphic brush into forms across the paper. This set of drawings changed his work from a study of geometric forms to explorations of a more personal and expressive nature.
The calligraphic nature of the Graham Technique drawings led him to study and work with the Japanese Zen enso circle form that connotes completion, fullness and inclusion. Ink drawings and digital/drawing prints are a vital element in his sculpture process—the drawings inform the sculptures; the sculptures inform the drawings. These drawings generated works as seen in the variety of bench forms and in some public art.
His most recent work includes careful considerations of contemplative spaces, finding quiet and stillness in using natural materials in more geometric forms that become spaces of quiet contemplation and reflection for the viewer to enter no matter the scale.
Recently Fuhrman recognized that a strong affinity for geologic forms has emerged in his work. These seem to be the edges of the earth - volcanic calderas, Scott's Bluff, Nebraska formation and rock and mountain formations.
He has worked in materials as diverse as welded stainless and concrete, welded Cor-Ten steel, wood, as well as installations of lighting and sunflowers and other natural materials. Fuhrman's work has been shown in, and is part of numerous public and private collections, in the City of Miami, FL, Dade County, FL, City of Philadelphia, PA, Washington DC, New York, Perth, Scotland, Great Britain, Japan, Brazil and Argentina and projects for the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia, PA. His completed architectural projects include a residence and a public art commission for an entry to a medical center. He taught Design and Aesthetics at Philadelphia University between 1985 and 2006.