James Surls, The Splendora Years

"The notion of inspiration takes a different form in Needle Man. Here the whole figure of the personage is a spiral topped by a head pierced with sewing needles. Here he creates a shamanic image in which the ritual of pain opens up the receiver to a higher state of consciousness. Also significant here is the fact that the piercing implements are needles, associated with the female role and hence here suggesting that for Surls, inspiration involves a penetration by a feminine spirit."

-Eleanor Heartney, from Splendora: A Love Story in the publication "James Surls: The Splendora Years, 1977-1997."


	Needle Man 1980 Pine, oak 115 x 40 x 43 in 292.1 x 101.6 x 109.2 cm Collection Martin Sklar "The notion of inspiration takes a different form in Needle Man. Here the whole figure of the personage is a spiral topped by a head pierced with sewing needles. Here he creates a shamanic image in which the ritual of pain opens up the receiver to a higher state of consciousness. Also significant here is the fact that the piercing implements are needles, associated with the female role and hence here suggesting that for Surls, inspiration involves a penetration by a feminine spirit." -Eleanor Heartney, from Splendora: A Love Story in the publication "James Surls: The Splendora Years, 1977-1997."