Object Details
- Luce Center Label
- It's Darker in the Valley is composed of three separate layers of plastic to represent air, water, and land. Sam Richardson built the land using polyurethane foam, which he sanded to the desired shape. The clear blue water was then cast from resin to fit perfectly with the curves of the land's surface. He applied delicate layers of color to the contours of this piece to give the illusion of natural light and shadow.
- Luce Object Quote
- "It is important that [the surface] doesn't get in the way of what I am trying to say. It is important that you don't see anything in the texture that would get in the way of the total image." Sam Richardson, 1975
- Data Source
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Artist
- Sam Richardson, born Oakland, CA 1934-died Seattle, WA 2013
- Date
- 1969
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Wende and Geoffrey Gates
- Medium
- mixed media: plastic, wood, rubber, acrylic and paperboard
- Dimensions
- 8 1/8 x 12 x 11 7/8 in. (20.5 x 30.4 x 30.3 cm.)
- Type
- Sculpture
