Excerpt from the catalog essay by Hal Nelson:

. Mark Lindquist creates sculptural form by using traditional turning processes but at an almost unimaginably monumental scale. Liberty Mallet of 2006 is a technical tour de force in virtuoso wood turning technique and, like all of Lindquist's sculpture, it exists on multiple levels. Formally, it is an elegant shape which seems to subtly suggest the long flowing silhouette of a human figure. There is, however, a raw quality, particularly apparent in the gaping crack that runs up the work's lower half and serves as a counterpoint to its vertical elegance. Even in the title, itself, there are multiple layers of meaning and suggestion. Lindquist has said, "The piece has a handle that stands proudly upon a rough base. It's based on the form of a favorite mallet I've used for over 25 years. The title 'Liberty Mallet' alludes to the prominent fissure that runs through the bell-like form, suggesting the Liberty Bell, itself." Reflecting on its rich social and political metaphors, Lindquist commented on the work's relevance to the exhibition The Presence of Absence, "I think of this piece as a meditation on the inversion of the American ideals of freedom. I think that a worldwide community is yearning, right now for an 'absence of presence,' and this piece is a reflection of that desire. In more formal terms, the monumental scale and monolithic nature of the piece," Lindquist has observed, "make you more aware of the vastness of the space surrounding it; by virtue of its presence, you become aware of absence." From: The Presence of Absence: Exploring the Void in Contemporary Wood Sculpture

Hal Nelson, Director Long Beach Museum of Art, Collectors of Wood Art exhibition at SOFA Chicago, November 9-12, Catalog page 4. Making the Liberty Mallet



The Liberty Mallet is made from one log of American Black Cherry.

This log was left over from Lindquist's Ichiboku Series Sculptures and had been roughed out in 1989. (Above) Mark checks the size and quality of the shavings during rough turning.



The Liberty Mallet is made in Mark Lindquist's Turning Studio (above) in Quincy, FL, established in 1983.

The lathe is an old retrofitted pattern maker's lathe originally used by Mark and his father

Melvin Lindquist in their New Hampshire studio beginning in the early seventies.



Mark has been turning since the age of 10, and has been turning professionally since 1969.



Begun in 1989, the mallet nears completion in 2006.



The completed LIBERTY MALLET, by Mark Lindquist was first exhibited at:

CWA Forum 2006 at SOFA Chicago

November 9-12, 2006:

The Presence of Absence:

Celebrating the Void in Contemporary Wood Sculpture

Curated by Hal Nelson, Director of the Long Beach Museum of Art, CA. Mark Lindquist

Liberty Mallet

Post Totemic Series

1989-2006

American Black Cherry

6' High x 18 1/2" Diameter Represented at SOFA by:

Donna Schneier Fine Art, NYC Photos Above © Mark Lindquist 2006, All Rights Reserved BELOW: PHOTOS FROM THE CWA EXHIBIT (SOFA CHICAGO 2006)

Photos: John Mc Fadden / Lindquist Studios ~ © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED



Liberty Mallet (Left), Free-Form Sculpture, 1973-1983 by Mark Lindquist (Lower Right)

Click The Photo (Below) To See How Freeform Sculpture

(Above) Was Crated For Transport

(Below): Mark Lindquist reflecting on finished Liberty Mallet sculpture





The Presence of Absence: The Artist’s Perspective

Special exhibit curator Hal Nelson, director, Long Beach Museum of Art, CA

discusses negative space & the influence of Asian aesthetics with artists Mark Lindquist, Gyongy Laky and William Hunter.

Presented by Collectors of Wood Art.

After Panel Discussion: (Below): Bill Hunter (left), Mark Lindquist (center left), Gyongy Laky (Center Right-Low), Jane Mason (Far Right)





(Below): Mark Lindquist (left), Kevin Wallace (Right)



Special Thanks to Kevin Wallace for his efforts with the exhibition and John Mc Fadden for exhibition photography.

