Arts writer, Stacey Williams-Ng interprets Racine artist, Bill Reid's Moveable Beasts for Milwaukee Home and Fine Living Magazine, November 2008.
Bill Reid is to sculpture what Dr. Seuss is to children’s books: how fortunate we are that he lives right here in Racine. His creations, a quirky panoply of colorful, painted sheet metal beasts, range in size from the minutely tiny to the very, very large (think real, licensed vehicles parked in the garage.) Many, such as the vehicle for example, are mechanized, putting them in the category often referred to as kinetic art. There are levers to move parts in and out (such as a giant anteater’s tongue), and cranks to turn for hilarious effect (such as the handle which makes a giant rabid bunny dig its mighty fangs into the torso of an astronaut). These offbeat automata live in an extraordinary world where cross-bred animals and fanciful household objects happily interact with one another in funny and incongruous ways.
Racine residents may have see the Bee Bomb – his bulbous bumblebee car, complete with big eyes and yellow flowers – driving down the streets, perhaps on his way to a parade or just out for a joy ride along the lake. Milwaukeeans may be more familiar with the giant red-eyed reindeer (and its companion the giant rat) atop the big smokestack near the lower end of Brady Street. (Finally! You exclaim, having always wondered who it was that thought of such outlandish creatures.)
Reid’s creatures, for all their zaniness, are meticulously put together. Although the artist must not take the art world too seriously, judging from his peculiar sense of humor, he certainly is very serious when it comes to his work, and is able to tell rich and imaginative stories in the actions of his creatures. May of his pieces are inspired by wordplay and puns, such as the “Eau Deer,” a 4 foot tall buck painted in bubble water tones, or the “Bulldozer,” which features a sleeping bull (get it?) nestled at the top of a multitude of silly creatures, driving the titular vehicle. Bent rulers indicate that he’s “bending the rules” and dodo birds are symbols of animal extinction, and therefore, the environment’s effects on animal life.
These eccentric sculptures look marvelous in gardens, where their bright colors transform ordinary environments into playful and imaginary worlds. Indoors, these sculptures can find their way onto tabletops, peeking out of corners, or even holding the bathroom roll. Couldn’t every home benefit from a pet like this?
William Nichols
