The Sower, sculpture by Gustav Bohland
The Sower is a bronze sculpture displayed in a museum lobby in Milwaukee that shows a life-size figure caught in a moment of action. The work stands over 6 feet tall (about 2 meters) and nearly 7 feet wide (around 2.1 meters), with a dark patina that gives the material weight and permanence.
The sculpture was created in 2015 by South African artist Mary Sibande and acquired by the museum in 2020 from a Chicago gallery. It became part of a collection dedicated to contemporary African art as part of an exhibition exploring modern art from the continent.
The sculpture portrays Sophie, a character who appears throughout Sibande's work and is shown here as a solid bronze form. This representation connects biblical themes with questions of strength and resilience that are central to how the artist engages with history and social issues.
The sculpture is located in the museum's lobby and is easily accessible to visitors entering the building. This solid bronze work requires no advance planning and can be viewed free of charge during standard museum hours.
The sculpture was created as a singular monumental work, and Sibande produced only one other similar piece that included a sewing machine needle, making these works rare and historically significant. It also invites interpretation through Octavia Butler's novel of the same name, which suggests that environment and social conditions shape human potential more than individual effort alone.
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