Running Bird

Brightly colored and dynamically composed, Charles Searles' Running Bird is an improvisation on the theme of movement.  Three exuberant "feathers," painted in progressively lighter shades of purple, strut forward in sequenced steps, their red-ringed eyelets disclosing hidden supports.  Above, three rakish blue "plumes" curve out, like big-bellied exclamation points.  Searles even transforms the normally passive wall support into an active participant.  The back of each form is painted red, reflecting a subtle glow on the wall.  A skein of cast shadows multiplies the visual energy.

A percussion musician who has played accompaniment for dancers, Searles points to music as one of his sources of inspiration.  In addition, his design was shaped by diverse cultural traditions.  For example, the oval cutouts, alluding to eyes, evoke African wooden masks.  The title Running Bird suggests a Native American influence, and the featherly forms bring to mind a bright headdress.