Lakich
transforms a familiar silhouette into an emblem of the rock ‘n’
roll era. Zigzag and serpentine lines in contrasting pastel and vibrant colors
on the surface suggest the lyrical quality of Presley’s voice underscored
by rock’s angular rhythms. Animating tubes and the flash of the crackle
tube convey the kinetic energy of performer and music while the whole piece
floating on a colored nimbus suggest the transmutation of the singer into
a secular icon.
Lakich’s original Elvis
(1984) was part of the artist’s 60-piece exhibition at the Touko Museum
of Contemporary Art in Tokyo in 1988 and is featured on the cover of her book,
Neon Lovers Glow in the Dark. Elvis was one
of eight of Lakich’s sculptures the Touko Museum purchased for their
collection.
Elvis
II, 1988
Aluminum, copper, brass, glass tubing with neon and argon gases, neon crackle
tube, animator
94 x 102 x 10 in (239 x 259 x 25 cm)
