Mantle
Cris Bruch
Dexter Horton Building
A sculpture’s complex geometry holds an accumulation of movement—and meaning.
The title of this sculpture by Cris Bruch hints at multiple meanings: Mantles can be enveloping protective covers; they can also be delicate shells that convert the heat of an open flame into incandescent light, like the ones that illuminated the streets of Europe and the United States in the late 19th century.
To create the honeycomb-like shape of this work, Bruch folded paper into a complex and precise geometry, his repetitive actions slowly accumulating to build the form. Bruch says he relishes the seemingly insignificant everyday movements that define who we are. He is interested in how we do things and much as what we do.
Currently installed on the first floor of the historic Dexter Horton Building in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, Mantle was commissioned as part of the Honors Program, which recognizes visual artists who have made significant contributions to our region through the sustained production of high-quality artwork.
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Born and raised in Missouri and based in the Pacific Northwest since 1986, Bruch makes sculpture, works on paper, and public art. He initially became known in the 1980s for his use of shopping carts to address American consumer culture and economic disparity, themes he has continued to explore with a more formal aesthetic. Bruch’s work has been honored with numerous awards and exhibited widely in Washington, Oregon, California, Germany, and elsewhere. His 4Culture commissions also include Mt. Si Bridge, Silhouettes and Cutups on Vashon Island, and South Branch, North Fork, and Puddles, a trio of sculptures at the Brightwater Education and Community Center.
