Assembled sculptures offered as decoration, talisman and social commentary (12/21/03)

Assembled sculptures offered as decoration, talisman and social commentary

CLIFTON, N.J. - "Trophy Wife," a sculpture assembled from bits of painted wood, discarded hardware and medical instruments, was awarded first prize in the "Re-Cycle, Re-Use" juried exhibit of two and three dimensional art held July 9-August 16 at the Clifton Arts Center, an elegant modern art gallery on the grounds of the Clifton Municipal Complex.

The assembled sculpture is one of three works by George Thaddeus Saj, a Montclair resident and surgeon with a lifelong interest in art, featured in the exhibit. The other two works were titled "The Who" and

"Otolaryngologist in Disguise."

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Dr. Saj has been interested in art all his life, having studied at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts as a teenager, then taking further classes in drawing, painting and composition at Dartmouth College. Even though a 30-year surgical career afforded him little time for it, he never abandoned his keen interest in art.

Dr. Saj has been assembling statues for 24 years from any material at hand: large outdoor pieces from wood, scrap iron and PVC tubing in the country and small wall-mounted heads assembled from bits of wood, discarded instruments and household furnishings in town.

This past summer he submitted three pieces to the Clifton Art Center (not having exhibited since college) and - won first place. Thus encouraged, he produced 30 heads this year and is applying to a portrait show to be held in Whippany, N.J., in January 2004. He also plans to mount a solo exhibit in the new year.

In a statement about his work, Dr. Saj notes that "in these heads I aim to produce an instantly recognizable image by assembling commonplace elements in unusual juxtaposition, with economy and humor."

"Such works as 'Samurai,' 'Lucifer,' 'Duenna,' and 'Sonia' are meant to be decorative and to serve the viewer as talisman. They are endowed with enough 'personality' as to afford the possibility of developing a certain rapport with the viewer, evoking a poignant memory, or sharing a private joke," he notes, adding "Sometimes the works serve as social commentary, as evident in such works as 'Wild Boor' (as seen on my website)."

Additional information about Dr. Saj's work in the field of contemporary sculpture, including historic figures, portraits, and animals, may be found on the website www.georgesaj.com.

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