Duane Hanson
A Closer Look
Queenie II was in an exhibit once at the Nevada Museum of Art. The night before the show opened a false fire alarm went off. When the firefighters arrived they were surprised to see the museum's cleaning woman standing in the middle of the room, not responding to the alarm! Get an old pair of pants and a shirt and stuff them with newspaper. Stuff an old stocking with paper for the head. Add accessories to your figure and place it in a real-life setting.
About the Sculpture
Duane Hanson cast his sculptures from human models. These plaster casts became molds for fiberglass or a plastic called bondo, which is usually used for auto body repairs. Queenie II is made of bondo. Hanson used the same body for Queenie II and the female in another of his sculptures,Tourists II, but with different heads and different skin tones. After creating the bodies Hanson painted them and added hair, clothes and accessories.
About the Artist
At an early age Duane Hanson showed an interest in the human form. He grew up in a small town, where the library had only one art history book. At thirteen he saw a photograph of The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough in that book, and he made a wood carving based on the painting. Hanson once asked, "What can generate more interest, fascination, beauty, ugliness, joy, shock or contempt than a human being?"
Write About It
- Make a list of what you see.
- How did the artist use the elements and principles of design?
- What do you think the sculpture means? How does it make you feel?
- Select two sculptures to compare & contrast.
