BODY OF KNOWLEDGE - 1972
“Body of Knowledge is composed of a large undulating curvilinear shape surrounded by a pattern of intermittent bricks that jut out of the wall. The adjacent bricks form a pattern appear random and at the same time are reminiscent of Braille writing or the symbols from a computer data print out. Before installing this brick bas-relief sculpture over the Angelo M. Iacoboni Library’s main entrance, Tom Van Sant sculpted each brick according to his master diagram and then supervised the firing at the kiln site. The artwork was then set into the wall by brick masons under Van Sant’s direction.” [1]
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Angelo M. Lacoboni Library
4990 Clark Avenue, Lakewood, CA 90712
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1972
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Williamson, Morris, and Paige.
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Brick and ceramic.
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14 ft. x 10 ft
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Unknown
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LA County Arts Commission.
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Extant in situ, good.
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Courtesy of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission
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While Body of Knowledge resembles Van Sant’s 1961 work Children at Play, the artist’s approach to shaping the bricks was different in each case. For Children at Play: “Two courses of brick were set in place forming a 11 ½ inch thick wall. The artist then “carved directly into the projecting bricks to create the low-relief figures” using an air grinder.
In contrast, it looks like the central relief for Body of Knowledge was modelled as one form using a clay selected to match the brick “frame.” The sculpted panel of clay would then have been sliced into blocks for firing, followed by reassembly at the library location.
Body of Knowledge offers some insight into the process Van Sant may have used to craft Water Fall (1969), which similarly has a unified surface pattern constructed from multiple ceramic blocks.
Tony Sheets assisted Van Sant on this project, which is part of the LA County Arts Commission Collection.
[1] The Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Civic Art Collection, Body of Knowledge
