A Vision Against Context

“A Vision Against Context" is a collaborative sculpture project that emerged from a weeklong summer camp organized by the Heckscher Museum of Art in conjunction with Girls Inc. The project's aim was to draw inspiration from the life and work of Helen Torr, particularly her diaries, her home, and the natural surroundings that influenced her art. The outcome of this creative exploration was a large-scale kinetic sculpture dedicated to Helen Torr.

The most exciting part for me working with the girls is reading excerpts from Helen Torr’s diaries, (1925-1938). The girls began to grasp the cultural differences for women in different generations. This experience seemed to empower them when they discovered the following: women didn’t have their own bank account, or own their own home, and many other inequalities. Through this discovery, they noticed everything — not only social changes but environmental as well. The girls became inquisitive to Helen’s color palette, the sophisticated understanding of tone and rhythm in her work. They also understood how deprived she was from the art world. This is the world that myself and the young ladies of Girls Inc  discovered at the Dove/Torr cottage and the inspiration we used to create sculpture maquettes. Our collaborative effort with the girls any myself in creating this sculpture is a celebration of an unrecognized woman artist. And may every visitor to the Dove/Torr cottage know Helen’s contributions to the art world, that today and forward she is recognized.

The sculpture, measuring 4 feet in diameter, 6 feet in width, and 10 feet in height, is constructed from stainless steel. This choice of material holds symbolic significance within the artwork. The stainless-steel bar, which runs through the core of the sculpture, serves a dual purpose. On one hand, it symbolizes the social barriers that Helen Torr encountered as a woman in her time. On the other hand, it also functions as a representation of the support and strength she provided to her partner, Arthur Dove.

The juxtaposition of the two upright metal shapes, symbolizing confinement, and the desire for exploration, adds depth to the narrative. It speaks to the tension in Torr's life and her aspirations for creative expression beyond the limitations she faced.

Curved metal bar wrapped around a metal plate which appears to float within the structure is reminiscent of the water that played a significant role in Helen Torr's life, as she lived on the Mona sailboat and in her home by Titus Mill Pond. Metal flora shapes throughout the sculpture pay tribute to the natural world that influenced Helen Torr's art. These organic forms evoke the plants and elements of nature that inspired her creative work.

The sculpture concludes with a circle of metal leaves, which move in harmony with the wind. This interactive feature serves as a celebration of Helen Torr and her enduring legacy. It symbolizes the ongoing influence of her art and the impact she had on the artistic landscape.