Terry Adkins

Native Son (Circus)

Terry Adkins based the form of Native Son (Circus) on a faceted tortoise shell that he owned. The artist never saw the completed work, which was constructed posthumously, based on his designs.

The sculpture’s peaceful arrangement of cymbals periodically shimmers to life, generating clamorous and seemingly random music. The work’s materiality and activation were inspired by the tale of how jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker began his career. According to the story, Parker accompanied legendary drummer Jo Jones during a set, and performed so poorly that Jones threw a cymbal at him.

The aspirant musician was jarred into a dedication that resulted in creative success. The narrative of passionate investment in one’s craft reverberates with Native Son (Circus). Like Parker, Adkins was a musician, and this work speaks to his interdisciplinary practice.

“My quest,” the artist said, “has been to find a way to make music as physical as sculpture might be, and sculpture as ethereal as music is . . . to make both of those pursuits do what they are normally not able to do.”