Viewmaster

Description

The daughter of a tool-and-die maker, Heide Fasnacht grew up in suburban Cleveland and recalls her fondness for the nearby factory areas, which contributed to her love of machine-made and industrial objects. To make this sculpture, she stacked sheets of plywood then coated the exterior with graphite to give it a mechanical, metallic feel.

Fasnacht titled this sculpture Viewmaster in reference to optical instruments such as stereoscopes, microscopes, and binoculars. The sculpture’s shape—resembling a torso, heart, or phallic form—stems from her interest in the complex mechanics of the body and its organs, while also suggesting the body’s limitations.