Title		First "Glass" Buffalo
Artist		Sunni Mercer
Sponsor		QuadGraphics
Location		Locating...

Artist's Description

"First Glass Buffalo" has been covered in thousands of small pieces of broken safety glass (gathered from old car windshields.) The individual pieces of glass average 1" in size. The buffalo was painted with a metallic gold paint prior to the glass application. The glass was attached to the surface of the buffalo in a mosaic fashion. Heavy-duty epoxy was used to adhere the glass, and careful attention was given to seal the final work for durability and public safety. A top hat, bow tie, and cane was fashioned out of solid fiberglass type material and added to the work. The resulting piece is a shimmering gold tongue in cheek buffalo. My inspiration came primarily from a recent trip to Ravenna, Italy. I spent hours in front of the mosaics there and marveled at their timeless beauty. I work with found materials and the redemptive process

Click photos for close-up

has always been a part of my art making. I enjoy creating works that play with and challenge our understanding of language. I see this work as playful, while at the same time an important reminder of how valuable our wildlife is. In this design I have intentionally elevated the buffalo to "first class" while covering him in broken glass as an indicator of the frailty of his existence.