The Trumpets of Jericho
#56. (25 in / 63 cm)
Three dancing female characters are playing trumpets.
There is, of course, the biblical reference to the fall of Jericho (the walls of the city fell to the sound of the trumpets of the Hebrews). But this piece is mostly a tribute to music and its power; regardless of language, people or places, music is universal.
The first figure in this piece represents the essence of music when it gently grabs us and rises within us, revealing the best. She depicts the moment when music touches our divine essence and makes us feel ecstasy.
The second figure expresses rhythm. What better way to personify tempo than with an African body in which the foot, ankle, thigh, buttocks and arms each have their own distinct time.
The third individual represents music direction. Regardless of the style, music has a beginning and an end; it creeps and winds its way inside us. This aspect is personified by a drum major, who leads the band.
Together, these three figures give the impression of a whirlwind in which strength and power accumulate and condense.
Anecdote
When I was creating this sculpture, I was friends with a composer and a lyricist, both of whom were well known. They were working on an opera.
