Douglas Holmes

The sculptures that you see here are part of a series that I did in response to writings by Shunryu Suzuki in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Specifically they are a response to the titles of the chapters in the book. After reading this book, I printed the titles on individual sheets of paper and hung them on a wall in my studio. As I looked at them and thought about the ideas that Suzuki discussed in each chapter and how I felt about these ideas, I would place objects that I had gathered over the years with each title. In addition, specific people, both artists and others that have been inspirational to me, would come to mind as connected with certain ideas. These are the names that you see in some of the titles. While working in the studio, I would stop frequently and consider these word/idea/object/people relationships. I had no intention of developing this into a body of work, rather it has been a form of visual thought and meditation on the ideas presented in the writings, a private conversation. Several people who saw this wall of words and objects in the studio felt strongly about the implications and ideas being formed and encouraged me to develop them into finished work. 

• all of the pieces have their titles incorporated in the work itself.

• the glass panel in The Density of Experience… reads the thinning of language  against the density of our experience. This is the only piece not from a chapter title in the book Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, this is an idea put forth by Richard Sasson during a graduate seminar that he taught while I was in graduate school at California College of Arts and Crafts. An idea that has been a driving force in my work since.

• the Sartre quote (from St. Genet) in Single-minded Way is “Elegance is the quality of conduct which transforms the greatest amount of being into appearing...” The notebook/drawing book is one that I have used for years and has among other things most of the ideas and sketches for the zen series in it. the pages are now glued together so all of it, save for what you see, is sealed from view. 

• all of the background/supports are the same size (14” x 14” x 4”) and made of 10 gauge steel either powder coated or painted. Using the same format for each of the pieces allowed me to concentrate on the content.

• The Quality of Being contains a note that Marie Larson gave to me soon after I met her in 1962. The note says “the tender and passionate interest felt by all men in early youth and which is the artists birthright thru life” The original is sealed in a glassine envelope at the top of the piece and what you see is a reproduction of the original. I have had this pinned up in every studio that I have had since Marie gave it to me. 

• the pattern you see on the 2nd layer of glass in Repetition is the word repetition repeated over and over, i.e. repetition!

• the form in the middle of Constancy, is a rock from an area called the Burren in Ireland. It is a strange area of limestone formation and very lonely, timeless, and beautiful. For me a very peace giving place.