Requiem

Kitty Wales, 1997
Steel and tin

Direct observation of nature is an important part of Kitty Wales’ work. This sculpture is modeled after the Caribbean Reef Shark because Wales is attracted to the shark’s fluidity, streamlined shape, and graceful lines.

The sculpture was built using institutional-sized tin cans that were collected from the prison in Walpole, MA.

Requiem hung from a pine tree near the entrance of the museum from 1997 until 2020, when the tree was removed during the renovation of the museum grounds, creating space for handicapped parking. It then spent Summer 2022 in Wales’ studio in Belfast, Maine, where metal from a 55-gallon drum was used to patch areas that had rusted after spending 25 years outdoors.

Requiem now hangs inside the museum, greeting guests as they enter.

Wales received a MFA in Sculpture from the University of Arizona, and a BFA in Sculpture and Art Education from Boston University. She has taught sculpture and drawing in Colleges and Universities in and around New England and the Southwest, including as Assistant Professor and Senior Lecturer in Sculpture at Boston University for over 25 years.