Artwork copyright Dennis Evans. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Logos I The Emperor, 1990

Dennis Evans
(American, born 1946)

Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Cheney

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Dennis Evans' 'Logos I' is part of his "Golden Calves" series of mixed media installations. He named the series after the story of the golden calf from the Bible's Old Testament. The story is about a golden calf that was a false idol created by Aaron and the Israelites while Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. Evans uses the lesson of this story to examine the development of human knowledge. He states, "Every civilization has many such idols from Copernicus' heliocentric universe to Newton's mechanistic view of the planets. Knowledge expands and accumulates in many ways and in many disciplines." He also explains that 'Logos I' "addresses the notion of the word or 'the logos'. It is the notion of authority and knowing in a rationalistic and patriarchal system."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Eastern Washington University.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seattle-based artist Dennis Evans creates ceramic and mixed media installations. Born in Yakima, Central Washington, he studied at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he received several degrees. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1969, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics in 1973, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in design in 1975.