In 2008, the OJAC received an abstract stainless-steel sculpture by Lila Katzen (1925-1998) through the museum of Fine Arts, Houston. As you can see from the photo, the shape resembles a horse; and as long as I’ve been here it was considered to be a horse. What I could never figure out was the significance of its title, Bradford with Curl. Did the artist have a horse name Bradford? Did its tail have some sort of unique curl?

Had I taken the time to do a little research (I’m embarrassed to say how little), I would have discovered that Lila Katzen’s home and studio for 38 years was located at 307 Bradford Street in Provincetown, Massachusetts. (The property was still owned by the artist’s son son as recently as 2016.) The location played a prominent role in the artist’s life as Katzen used that name for multiple publicly-commissioned works. The university of Maryland owns a large sculpture titled Bradford, and there is also one in the sculpture garden of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum titled Bradford with Curl.

Katzen’s work isn’t about horses at all, but rather about making metal behave uncharacteristically fluid. A leading abstract sculptor of the post-war period, Katzen cut varying widths of metal and masterfully crimped them into organic waves and curls. In a New York Times review, her work is described as forms that “undulate and curl in on themselves forming bows, loops, shell-shapes and so forth.”

So, is it wrong for the viewer so “see” what they want in art, to draw their own interpretation? Not necessarily. We all bring our own perspectives when we engage with art. Our shared and individual experiences bring art to life. They can be what causes one work to be more meaningful to one viewer than another. Researching an artist’s intent - though not necessary to appreciate a work - can enhance and enlighten our experience, and even offer some surprising discoveries.

Amy Kelly, Registrar

LILA KATZEN, Bradford with Curl, 1979, stainless steel. Bequest of Edward R. Broida through the

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. 2008.067