Ferne Jacobs Catalog Revised

factors we cannot see, whether natural, metaphysical, or
human-driven.
Over time, Jacobs increasingly embraced abstract
figurative sculpture in her work. Solitude (fig.8), animated
by a twisting, bulging upper portion, was one of the first
pieces that Jacobs created with an open base, allowing
its energy to be “uncontained”. Her appreciation of the
sacredness of objects from various cultures and traditions,
and the metaphorical qualities of the container as a
fundamental and universal form, guides her work and
imbues it with its own spiritual and timeless power.
By the mid 1980s, she was merging sturdy coiling together
with twining, which provided a softer textural feel. Her
work became less rigidly geometric and more curvilinear
(fig. 11). Jacobs’ deep interest in finding the core of her
feminine soul moved to the forefront. Streaks of red
stream through pieces from this period. Two large floor
sculptures, Serpentine Figure and Spiral Bone, initiate
a dialogue about the nature of masculine and feminine
consciousness. They relate to Jacobs’ interest in religion,
biblical representations of gender, the snake’s role in the
Garden of Eden, and ultimately, her desire to define what
the feminine is, on her own terms.
Although Jacobs has always let her pieces emerge
intuitively, she maintains total control over her material.
She holds the balance of tension as she makes each
coil, wrapping methodically and steadily with rhythmic
regularity. She constantly invents new challenges for
herself that require a complete investment of her energy.
Veil (fig. 7) is a masterpiece at over 7 feet, a tubular
technical accomplishment that was one of Jacobs’ most
challenging pieces to execute. It drapes down the wall as
an open portal. Rather than concealing and obscuring
identity, this monumental piece asserts an inherent
strength.
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BUILDING THE ESSENTIALS: FERNE JACOBS