Robert Cantor

Clay

Bronze

Robert Cantor

Bob Cantor has studied art and sculpture with Alan Kaprow (Rutgers University), Mogens Moller (Royal College of Copenhagen), and Jesus Mendes (Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende). He has enjoyed decades of continuous representation in several fine art galleries in California. His prize-winning work has been collected throughout the United States and he was awarded a coveted place in 2006’s “Best Artists of California.” Most recently, two of his bronze sculptures were featured at the prestigious National Sculpture Society’s April, 2022 exhibition in San Diego. He is also a clinical psychologist in San Francisco; was an Associate Professor at UCSF for 12 years, and has been in private practice for over forty years. Bob has published two books: “And A Time To Live” (1980, Harper and Row, nominated and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize) and a novel, “Of Struggle and Flight” (1990, Little Viking).



Artist Statement

“Figure, Form, and Flow”
My sculptures have always begun with the form of the human body. In making them however, the emerging shapes have consistently moved away from anatomical features and toward more simple, structural forms. But even the exaggerated, highly stylized and abstracted pieces always began with the body. This process of evolution (realistic image to stylized figure to abstract form) was once even demonstrated in a series of three figure sculptures. Here is one example based on a variation of a work by Maillol.


During the “Shelter in Place” year of Covid isolation, when I could not go to my studio or continue making bronze sculptures, I began experimenting in my home studio with epoxy clay. This material has a very different texture and quality. It has to be modeled in layers using quite different techniques and presents a distinctive, different appearance. To my surprise, the figures that emerged were quite simple, with more basic flowing lines and forms. They even had a different kind of energy and kinetic movement.

As I worked on these new epoxy clay pieces, I noticed that they also had a different reference to the human body; less direct, less an echoing of anatomical features – more spontaneous, more like improvising on a musical theme. I became delighted with this new way of sculpting and as they say, “went with the flow”. I’ve titled the new series “Figure, Form, and Flow” and the experience of creating these new forms has been exciting and complex. I’ve felt both like the author directing the unfolding work and the observer – watching with fascination as the flowing shapes came into existence almost independent of my hands.

The sculptures that comprise this show are all from this new series and this new method of creating them.