Sisyphus by Karoly Veress
Karoly Veress
Sisyphus, 1997
painted sheet metal and boulder
29” x 20” x 13”
Provenance:
13th Street Winery Permanent Collection since 2018
Literature:
Punished for being crafty and deceitful, Sisyphus in Greek mythology was forced to roll an immense boulder up a hill only for it to roll down every time it neared the top, repeating this action for eternity.
For Karoly, Sisyphus symbolizes the human who never gives up and always finding the courage to reach for the top, regardless the difficulties on his/her path. Fascinated with how boulders and stones are formed through the ages by glaciers, Karoly went through a phase where he featured boulders in many of his sculptures.
Critical Review by Rozsa Dancs
“Sisyphus is a beautiful sculpture. The word “beautiful” does not refer to the artist as a sentimentalist. He does not try to be either a moralist, or a teacher. A sensitive thinker? Yes, indeed, Veress’ philosophy relates to Camus’ theory on absurd…Looking at it, some might ask: what kept Sisyphus motivated to see the sunlight? Karoly Veress tells us by his grand work of art that through the full acceptance of the absurd we can still reject death by loving life and effort. That is the approach Sisyphus took. Instead of focusing on keeping the rock steady once he got to the top, he learned to love the simple motion of his action. This is the meaning of Sisyphus’ endeavor. This idea echoes in the message of Veress’ sculpture: the love of life….”
About The Artist:
Karoly Veress (1935-2020) was born in the rugged mountains of Transylvania. The upheaval of the Second World War forced him to recognize the fragility of his environment and the system that shaped it.
