A Handful of Stars by Betye Saar

Betye Saar's edition of A Handful of Stars consists of a solid bronze sculpture created from a mold of her hand, presented on a walnut base. This edition was conceived to honor her 90th birthday and the 2016 retrospective exhibition, Betye Saar: Still Tickin’, organized at Museum Het Domein Sittard in the Netherlands, in partnership with Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

  • 'It is my goal as an artist to create works that expose injustice and reveal beauty.' , - Betye Saar

    A Handful of Stars, 2016

    Bronze with patina and walnut base

    7 x 3 x 2.5 inches

    Edition of 18

    "It is my goal as an artist to create works that expose injustice and reveal beauty."

    - Betye Saar

     

  • A Handful of Stars

    A Handful of Stars is cast from Saar's left hand. The embellishments on this sculpture were selected from Saar's collection of found objects she keeps organized in her Laurel Canyon studio. These totems and their placement are the sum of the depth and complexity of a lifetime.
    Nine stars are spread across the palm and fingers like a constellation of her life. (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    The sun at the center of her hand suggests creativity and brings to mind her ninety solar returns. Saar is also a Leo, which is ruled by the sun in astrology. (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    An all-seeing eye rests at the pulse line as if guiding every action the hand takes. (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Saar chose the cerulean blue patina to reference the heavens. (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    The bracelet is a favorite of Saar's. (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    The rings are personal items that Saar wears daily. The traditional Claddagh ring acknowledges her Irish grandmother while also signifying love, loyalty, and friendship. Two South African gold rings honor her African American grandmother. Saar's fascination with found objects began with visits to this grandmother in Watts. (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

    Nine stars are spread across the palm and fingers like a constellation of her life.

  • 'I am intrigued with combining the remnant of memories, fragment of relics and ordinary objects, with the components of technology....

    "I am intrigued with combining the remnant of memories, fragment of relics and ordinary objects, with the components of technology. It's a way of delving into the past and reaching into the future simultaneously."

    - Betye Saar
    The cast bronze captures the delicacy of her hand with exquisite detail, signifying human vulnerability and resilience. This edition is a fitting celebrating of her art and life, bestowing the creative force and power of her work while tenderly receiving the legacy of her artistry.
  • Betye Saar, United States, B. 1926
    Betye Saar

    Betye Saar

    United States, B. 1926
    Betye Saar was born July of 1926 in Los Angeles. She worked as a social worker, jewelry maker, costume designer, and printmaker until she found her voice as a narrative artist through collage and assemblage. That voice sprang from her unique mix of life experiences, memories of the Watts Towers and a 1967 Joseph Cornell exhibit. Pulling from her interest in the occult and metaphysics, as well as childhood experiences with the women who raised her, Saar's work became a powerful interpretation of the many facets of African American identity. For decades, much of her art incorporates "black collectibles" in order to upend racial and sexist stereotypes, gently using the narratives in her art to enlighten and transform.