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Maze

Artist (American, born 1948)
Date1984-1987 (printed 1989)
MediumPlatinum-palladium print
DimensionsImage: 16 3/16 × 22 15/16 in. (41.1 × 58.3 cm)
Support: 16 3/16 x 22 15/16 in. (41.1 x 58.3 cm)
Mat: 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
ClassificationsPhotograph
Credit LineGift of Ken Terry and Denise Betesh, 2011
Object number2011.17.1
DescriptionBed with two pillows, white linens and metal bedstead. Black lines of a labyrinth decorate the sheet around the mattress.
eMuseum Notes

The labyrinth, a maze-like structure with mythical and mystical associations, is a recurrent theme in Rubenstein’s art. In ancient Greek legend, the Minotaur (a creature combining man and bull) was imprisoned in a labyrinth, though other cultures have used it as a decorative or meditative form. Here, the artist sees the twists and turns of the labyrinth’s path as a road of discovery. By placing its shape on a rumpled bed, she seems to associate the labyrinth with restless nighttime thoughts and the cryptic but revelatory nature of dreams.

On View
Not on view
Terms
  • beds (furniture)
  • labyrinths
  • myths
  • dreams
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