tony (bernard) rosenthal. Abstract Plaque.
-
Tony (Bernard) Rosenthal
(American, b. 1914–d. 2009) -
Abstract Plaque
-
1964
-
Welded sheet bronze
-
60 x 112 in.
(152.40 x 284.48 cm) -
Abstract Plaque permanently resides next to a portrait of Franklin D. Murphy.
One of the 1st pieces you’ll encounter at the southwest entrance to the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden is Tony (Bernard) Rosenthal’s Abstract Plaque (1964), a honey-colored rectangular relief that encourages the viewer’s movement to take in the multiple planes and geometric shapes moving out from the wall. Abstract Plaque is placed on an evenly laid brick wall, further highlighting the irregular surface, crags, and angles of the bronze panels. The piece is tucked into a corner where it permanently resides next to a portrait of Franklin D. Murphy, founder of the sculpture garden.
Abstract Plaque permanently resides next to a portrait of Franklin D. Murphy, founder of the sculpture garden.
BEHIND THE SCENES.
Chicago-born Tony Rosenthal moved to Los Angeles in 1946 upon the urging of famed mid-century American designers Charles and Ray Eames, whom he befriended during his time at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. Cementing his relationship with the City of Angels, he was hired as the first sculpture instructor at UCLA in 1952. Rosenthal’s sculptures can be found across Los Angeles and other metropolitan cities such as Manhattan and Philadelphia, and his work has been featured in exhibitions at renowned institutions, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.
Look for another monumental wall relief by Rosenthal at Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles. You’ll find it in the Access! Guide menu under artwork in “Century City.”
MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES.
The Plaque is large, 5 feet by 9 feet (1.52 m by 2.74 m). A visitor can approach the plaque from multiple vantage points: confront it directly or from the side. Position yourself at the side of the piece to appreciate the 3-dimensional nature of the work. From the front, find all the differing heights of the geometric forms jutting out from the flat base. Notice the physical differences between the brick wall and the sculpture–the colors and the patterns. The horizontal pattern of red bricks, in contrast with the vertical blocks of the sculpture, emphasizes the order of one and the jumble of the other. Sometimes the plaque is in the shadow of the afternoon sun, but at other times of day (and depending on the season), it is bathed in the warm sunlight.
SPARK A CONVERSATION.
Find a name and number embedded in the bottom right corner of the piece: “Rosenthal 64.”
Does the arrangement of the letters and numbers enhance the composition?
They’re uneven, and the font is a bit chaotic, mirroring the jumble of the geometric shapes moving out from the wall.
Rosenthal created this work by cutting geometric shapes from a thick sheet of metal with an electric band saw. The saw’s teeth create irregular marks on the raised surfaces.
Try to follow the rows of saw-tooth marks with your fingers.
Do the markings make the piece look natural or more human-made?
Rosenthal created Abstract Plaque by welding 5 panels of sheet bronze into the 3-dimensional wall relief.
Run your fingers across the surface to identify each panel and discover the variety of textures.
Can you identify the 5 panels of bronze that make the wall relief?
What happens to the Plaque’s color and temperature in sunlight and shadow?