The Inventor

1995

American, born 1965

Dan Webb often works in wood—carving figures and objects that remind us of the time-honored tradition of using this material in sculptural practice. This humble figure holds in his hands a chisel and mallet—the craftsman’s tools from which he has shaped his own image. Self-made, The Inventor reveals the potential of the creative act and the individual’s will to create his own future, an act motivated out of necessity. In this context, The Inventor prompts us to think about the precarious interdependency between man and nature, and how we discover inventive ways to sustain ourselves. The artist describes the process of self-invention as sculptural: “Everyone’s a sculptor creating a version of themselves ready for public consumption.”

Wood

75 x 14 x 22 in. (190.5 x 35.56 x 55.88 cm)

Northwest Purchase Fund

95.141

Photo: Nathaniel Willson

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Northwest Acquisitions", March 1 - November 10, 1996

Published ReferencesHackett, Regina. "SAM's selectivity reflected in 'Recent Acquisitions' show," in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 8, 1996

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