Heights I

Label

Heights I is Rose B. Simpson’s first bronze edition and marks a significant addition to her celebrated collection of clay beings. Cast from an original clay sculpture, the androgynous figure bears Simpson’s unique signifiers, including absent limbs and a quiet yet resolute expression.

Childlike in scale, the figure becomes life-sized with a series of cuplike vessels extending upward from its head. Asymmetrical earrings reference the sky through the star shapes on one ear and the rainbows and rain drops on the other. The space in the holes of the eyes creates a witness point for the being, a place of entry connecting the grounded figure to the heights above.

In the artist’s own words: "This series is about actively raising one’s own consciousness to meet the incoming growth . . . What does that look like? How do I preemptively increase my capacities for what is to come? I experiment with what that feels like, how that looks on me, how can I gracefully take up the space that is meant for me."

Heights I is a contemplative and powerful sculpture that serves as a visual metaphor and reminder to Dartmouth students of the growth, experimentation, and inner strength they will experience during their time on campus.

Provenance

Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco, California; sold to present collection, 2023.

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