The Ladder

As I posted last week, the Kehinde Wiley exhibition at the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art was wonderful, but I was also thrilled to see the ladder again. It's my favorite piece of artwork in the museum.

Here's an official picture from the museum.

It's Ladder for Booker T. Washington by Martin Puryear. 

Here are some of my images. The shadows in this perfect alcove are stunning.



Posing with the ladder. It's big!


Just shadows.


Apparently it was sculpted from one thin, tall tree. Puryear split it down the center to create each side of the ladder.



The alcove is two stories tall.



From the overlook on the second floor...


Peeking back at the ladder from galleries further along the way on the first floor.


Can you tell from these photos that the ladder doesn't sit on the floor? It's suspended. One review I read of the work suggested this is a reminder that when we are on a journey, we often need help getting up onto that first step, or we really have to make a big leap.