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Life Is an Open Book

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Submitted By Verlina
Words 566
Pages 3
English 1010
July 5, 2015
Life is an Open Book: A Visual Analysis

Brad Spencer’s free standing brick sculpture, Life is an Open Book, is one of his many pieces representing a profound declaration. This particular piece is located outside the Children’s Library at The Green Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. Many walk by daily. Tourist stop to pose for photos, and Pinners repin on Pinterest, but does any body really see what this piece is telling at us? It’s reminding us that our children are hungry for knowledge, direction and will stop at nothing to get it. I agree with Spencer that brick sculpture has a familiarity which is comforting to people, even though it can be dated back to ancient Babylonian times. In addition to it’s low maintenance, it blends well in settings where other brick construction can be found, and compliments surrounding landscaping. Many of Spencer’s pieces are on city walkways, local grocery stores and in park entrances. In this particular piece, Spencer has made the point that children have a desire. Whether this point is that the desire is for exploration of books or gaining knowledge about life I am unsure, but with the title of the piece I feel it is the latter. One child hangs on tightly to the progress he has made in reaching the top of the book. In life, when one advances to a new area one has worked so hard to obtain. they hold tight to that advancement. Another child peers around the side of the book, as if looking for something, like one who seeks the next journey when one journey comes to an end or the journey seems too hard to accomplish. There is a child who is helping another child. This could represent the person who is always helping others accomplish their goals and dreams in life, maybe even by giving up one’s own goals. Spencer’s art is thought-provoking, and though I am unsure what he really meant to convey

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