ALAIN KIRILI
Toccata II, 2020
Brass
53 x 10 x 10 in
134.6 x 25.4 x 25.4 cm
134.6 x 25.4 x 25.4 cm
Copyright The Artist
A toccata is a virtuoso piece of music, meant to showcase the touch of the musician. The free style of the composition features strong chords and rapid runs, without repetition...
A toccata is a virtuoso piece of music, meant to showcase the touch of the musician. The free style of the composition features strong chords and rapid runs, without repetition of measures. Here, Kirili translates this concept into a series of abstract brass sculptures. Inspired by David Smith’s Cubi series, the works feature distinct four-sided shapes, ascending upwards in perfect verticality. As the sculpture springs from the ground, there are unique touches of the artist’s "hand”— indentations and manipulations of the material in combination with the use of a variety of patinas take the viewer through a range of emotions and experiences. Just as the composer provides a platform for the performer to showcase his talents, Kirili displays his own mastery of the medium with subtle shifts and sleights of hand.
Beyond the sculptures’ formal characteristics, Kirili’s Toccatas are a reflection of the artist himself, specifically the innate passion he has for the concept of verticality. In The Brooklyn Rail, he told Susan Harris, “I need verticality; it’s part of my means of survival, of my dignity even.” The “touch” so closely associated with the toccata in music is found at a deeper level in these bronze sculptures—they are the embodiment and the essence of Kirili as the artist.
Beyond the sculptures’ formal characteristics, Kirili’s Toccatas are a reflection of the artist himself, specifically the innate passion he has for the concept of verticality. In The Brooklyn Rail, he told Susan Harris, “I need verticality; it’s part of my means of survival, of my dignity even.” The “touch” so closely associated with the toccata in music is found at a deeper level in these bronze sculptures—they are the embodiment and the essence of Kirili as the artist.