AXIOM ONE

The quotation from the writings of Confucius, "Within The Four Seas, All Men Are Brothers" was the stimulus for creating the sculpture, AXIOM ONE.

This work, a direct carving in Tennessee marble by Ruth Nickerson is now at The Interchurch Center.

AXIOM ONE states in the simplest sculptural terms the fact that all men evolve from the same elemental forces. This is symbolized by the abstracted female forms of the central figure from which highly simplified heads of four of the races of man are emerging. Each race has its own characteristics and its own direction differing from the others but solidly bound together by their common origin. Since this seems to the sculptor the basic premise of human existence, AXIOM ONE was chosen as the title.

It is not enough that a work of art should convey a message to the intellect or to the emotions, or to the senses. The sculptor hopes that AXIOM ONE will, by the force of its statement in sculptural terms of masses, contours, and light and shade, carry to the viewer a sense of simplicity, dignity, and strength, to raise his spirit, even if the artist's original intention is obscure or long after the need for its expression may have become obsolete.