WP3: Statement of Purpose

The object called Torso was created in 1932 by a man named William Zorach.

It is loyal to it's name, presenting itself as an attractive female torso. But it lacks arms, legs and a face, which forces the eyes to focus exclusively on the sexual female anatomy. And when evaluating this sculpture, a number of questions are raised and must be addressed.

First and foremost, why did Zorach choose a woman for Torso? During the 1930's women did not have many of the rights and priveleges that they do today. In other words, a sculpture like this meant something different in 1932 than it would today. The violent removal of the arms, legs and head are shocking when first observed. I believe an important component to this project will need to address this phenomenon.

Notice also the color of Torso's skin. The material Zorach chose is dark brown, reflecting minority in society either by coincidence or on purpose. Regardless, when observed on the violent and broken female body that is Torso, it only strengthens the notion that this is a message about women, race and sex. In the 1930's African Americans had even fewer rights than women. Segregated schools and communities meant that for most minorities, life was full of poverty and disrespect simply based on the color of skin.

On top of these already powerful factors in Torso are the cuts that can be observed all over Torso's back. The preferred form of punishment during times of slavery was whippings and lashings that left scars for a lifetime. When observing Torso, it is impossible not to notice these marks, and how they were clearly left on Torso intentionally to send a message.

And so, my project will explore all of these concepts in detail, to hopefully decode the rhetorical message Zorach was trying to send to our society. A lot can be said about a female African American body, bruised and cut through years of abuse, with it's head and limbs violently amputated. Zorach had a powerful message that he wanted people to hear.

And while today we live in a much more tolerant society of minorities, we can not forget our history. These ideas and stories of abuse for African Americans almost seem alien, but they did happen. And we must know our history so that we don't repeat those mistakes.

Finally, we must look at the future and ask how we can make the world better. Minorities still lack full equality in the United States in many ways subliminal ways. Gay and lesbians face their own civil rights movement in America as they fight for equal marriage. And worldwide, millions of people are oppressed because of their skin color and other genetic factors. Slavery still exists, and racial genocide is still common in many parts of the world.

And so the message of Torso is still relevant. The problem that it addresses has not gone away. And it's message still needs to be heard, for we know that with action change can occur.

WP3: Prewriting Assignment 5

To understand Torso, we must understand the man who created it and the context in which he sculpted this incredible masterpiece.

Torso was created in 1932, which was in the middle of the Great Depression. It was a time of uncertainty, and certainly a period where living by your means and appreciating the simple things was the best way to survive. Poverty was rampant and many people were losing everything that they had. Their jobs and their homes. Many even had to sell prized possessions such as wedding rings and watches simply to pay for food.

It is no surprise than that William Zorach drew Torso as he did. A simplified version of the human body, part of his message might have been to appreciate the simple things during a difficult time, such as the beauty and love of a woman and her body.

The artist known as William Zorach was born in Eurburg, Lithuania in 1889, before immigrating to Ohio two years later as a toddler. Once Zorach became a teenager, he started taking art classes at the Cleveland School of Art and the National Academy of Design.

He continued to study art at various schools during his youth and traveled the world learning about different types of art. Along the way he met and married Margeurite Thompson, and decided to settle down with her so that he could begin creating his own artistic work.

During the 1920's Zorach experimented with a variety of art, including wood, oil painting and carving. Rejecting Renaissance naturalism, Zorach drew inspiration from African, Chinese, Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Greek art. In his own work he ignored surface detail, and was an artist who focused on the simple things.

"Real sculpture is something monumental, something hewn from a solid mass, something with response, with inner and outer form; with strength and power," Zorach said.

Not surprisingly, all of these characteristics are present in Torso. It is a monumental piece of art created from a solid mass called Labrador Granite. This material is not easy to cut, and is renowned for it's hardness and difficulty to sculpt.

This might also send a message that to create something really beautiful in life, you have to work hard for it. The best things never come easily, and it takes effort and persistance to arrive at the end result.

Another interesting demention to Torso is the tension between naturalism and idealism, as well as dynamism and stasis (I will explore these relationships further in my final project).

"A human body can be reduced to simple elementary forms and become a thing of sheer beauty," said Zorach.

He went on to to win many awards for his work, including the Logan Medal of the Arts. Frank Granger Logan, for whom the award is named for, strongly opposed all forms of modern art, including cubism, surrealism and abstract expressionism.

Zorach taught art at the Art Students League of New York for the remainder of his years before passing away in 1966. But his legacy lives on through his art, including at the University of Nebraska at the Sheldon Art Museum.

This information hasn't really changed my perception of Torso. In fact in a lot of ways it re-enforces many of the ideas I already had about Torso. Ultimately Zorach was a man who focused on the simple things in life and in his art. And I think he wanted others in the world to see the importance of simple but good things as well. All of this and more will be explored in my final project.