Little Wire People Climbing Everywhere

Inspired by both High Renaissance Figurative Art and comic books, artist Chris Mason really has an eye for playful sculptures. The California-based artist uses only a wire cutter and his bare hands to form these intricate climbing figures. The series, called Social Climbing, looks like an army of little wire figures invading the gallery!

Mason says, “The action of climbing provides an opportunity to look at the figure suspended in space, to be able to see from angles less seen in most traditional sculpture. Also, like a glass half-full or half-empty, I find a subtle test of the optimism of the viewer in the ascending or descending interpretation.”

Personally, I feel a strong sense of teamwork as the little sculptures lift each other up, catch each other as they fall, and carry each other on their backs. What do you see when you look at Mason’s work?