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J. Paul Fennell, Szechwan Serenity, 2013, African sumac, 11 × 9 × 9 in. (27.9 × 22.9 × 22.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Jeffrey Bernstein, M.D. and Judith Chernoff, M.D., 2021.66.15
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Szechwan Serenity
- Artist
- Date
- 2013
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 11 × 9 × 9 in. (27.9 × 22.9 × 22.9 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Jeffrey Bernstein, M.D. and Judith Chernoff, M.D.
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- African sumac
- Classifications
- Object Number
- 2021.66.15
Artwork Description
J. Paul Fennell turned to wood art while working for the fast-paced Apollo program at NASA. Szechwan Serenity work translates his impressions of the latticework of Buddhist temples on Mount Emei, the highest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China.
Fennell’s work is a mixture of turning, carving, and piercing. He creates his own tools to achieve his visions, noting, “I like the particular challenge of doing things no standard tools allow you to do. If I develop one, it may be used once or twice—but the idea of innovation appeals to me.”
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, 2022