Larry Askren
Steel & Marble
Location: Park Central West
“Steel, Stone, Blood and Bone,” is how Askren describes the spirit of his piece.
The steel and stone are visible in its materials, while the blood and bone are the effort invested in its creation. This idea extends to his sense of community with Springfield and participation in Sculpture Walk Springfield.
When artist, Larry Askren, was searching for inspiration for his sculpture, he found them at his feet. Scrap metal and broken rock collected, combined, to compound his idea for his display.
He immediately recognized a similarity in his idea and the hexagrams of the I Ching.
The I Ching is an ancient Chinese book of divination based on a system of Yin (broken lines) and Yang (solid line) to create 64 symbols called “hexagrams.”
When he consulted the ancient text, he saw the pattern of solid and broken lines he had chosen at random represented “The Family.” This connection was especially significant since Askren was creating the sculpture with the help of his brothers, making it a true family effort. This hexagram is also called “The Clan” or “Clan Dwellers” that affirms the original divination.
Since the sculpture was made from recycled materials, it also possesses an underlying theme of rebirth. Even to the Phenix Marble that was used to form the lines of the hexagram, reinforcing this concept.
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