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"Angel with Uzi " A History
Humble Beginnings
Artist Tom Mullany recalls the first time he delivered the Angel with Uzi to his gallery in 1986. "With the angel figure strapped at an angle, overhanging the roof of my '68 Chevy pick-up , cruising through DC, and past the White House, I drove the sculpture to the new and  thriving gallery at which I was showing in the Shaw neighborhood." The 1980's were a busy time for Mullany, making and exhibiting art, and a time of experimentation just following graduation from art school. He often used found materials as they were readily available in construction and demolition sites. The entire Angel with Uzi piece is constructed of lumber discards and the roofing tin of an old demolished lumbermill. He says the original inspiration for the sculpture was the First Division Memorial by Daniel Chester French which stands on a monumental column across the street from the Corcoral School of Art where Tom had just spent 3 1/2 years studying. "This WWI monument has an incredible gilded statue holding a large flag aloft in her right hand and is standing on a sphere. With Angel with Uzi I was excited by the idea of making my own victory angel, a more modern version, in the classical Roman format. Of course, the weapon needed to be one of the more elegant and sophisticated hand-arms of the day; the Uzi. " To be accurate in this detail, Mullany contacted a contractor of the weapon who sent him a scale photograph from which he constructed the wooden replica.
Herb White Purchases piece for his collection
Mullany also remembers how honored and excited he was to have famed DC collector Herb White buy the piece ." My two dealers and I had to wrestle the angel up the 4-story walk -up where Herb lived. But what a great place to end up in, surrounded by art and a nice penthouse view in Adams Morgan!" Herb White was an active DC restauranteur and arts patron during the '70's, 80's and 90's, and was a major player in the developement of Adams Morgan. He supported the arts through his art collecting and by putting on countless exhibitions. He also offered low rent studios to artists, dancers and musicians, sometimes for as low as $1 per year. Herb White died in June 2007. His daughter, Jessica, said her father's sizable collection represents "a history of Washington art", and an exhibit of his collection is on view at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery in DC from September 4- October 17, 2008. Angel With Uzi is included in the exhibition catalog.
Sculpture to be on Exhibit and For Sale at R.H. Ballard
With Herb White's death, his daughter has reluctantly decided to let the sculpture go and has put it up for sale. It is now with the RH Ballard Gallery in another Washington, Washington, Virginia. Although Ballard's gallery does not have the tall ceilings neccessary to exhibit the piece inside, the sculpture will be displayed on the day Mullany's show opens, Saturday , September 27, weather permitting, and then possibly on and off throughout the course of his fall 2008 exhibit. |
