Mac Worthington

Mac Worthington is well-known in central Ohio as a creator of decorative metal sculptures, public artworks and functional objects.

An exhibit of more than two dozen aluminum sculptures at the Dublin Arts Council provides evidence that he continues to challenge himself with new bodies of work and processes.

His new work features bent and twisted sheets of aluminum that are crushed and manipulated with a forklift. After examining the resulting twists and folds, Worthington uses vibrantly colored automotive paint to accentuate each form.

Every fold of metal offers a surprise. The color of the exterior always contrasts with the color of the interior. In addition, many pieces are sprinkled with iridescent paint flakes that seem to shimmer like glitter.

Because every sculpture is titled with the name of a vintage car or vehicle, the twisted metal suggests the remnants of car crashes.

Smaller works -- such as 1956 Ford T-Bird Convertible, 1963 Triumph and 1973 Stingray -- look like strange trophies commemorating a disaster. Larger pieces, such as 2007 Bentley Flying Spur, could be auto-accident memorials or markers.

Yet, looks can be deceiving. The metal used to create the sculptures doesn't come from a fateful crash, and the resulting forms bear little resemblance to their titles. Instead, the intent of the work seems to be nostalgia and humor.

Still, the exhibit is confusing. It's impossible not to consider the many artists who have effectively used actual auto parts and metal from wrecked cars in their work.

Worthington's crushed-metal series makes reference to the 1960s car-part sculptures of John Chamberlain that found a link between abstract expressionism and pop art.

In Worthington's sculptures, the importance of what a work of art is made from is unresolved.

Worthington is at his best when he concentrates on design and movement. In 1962 Ferrari GTO, a mass of blue is accented with additional cut-aluminum shapes, allowing the eye to move effortlessly about the piece.

In 1950 Giulietta Spider, a red twisting curve placed on the sculpture's geometric pedestal helps link it to the organic metal folds above.

Other pieces rely on comedy. Constructed in five flowerlike folds, the gaudy pink and red 2004 Mini Super Stretch Limo exudes the ridiculous.

While the exhibit fails to deliver on a conceptual level, the work still manages to underscore Worthington's gifts as a designer and craftsman.
"Mac Worthington: Crushed Interpretations" continues through Feb. 26 at the Dublin Arts Council, 7125 Riverside Dr. Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Call 614-889-7444 or visit www.dublin arts.org.