–American Playlist: Selections From The University At Albany Art Collections
Ry Rocklen has been using trophies has a medium since 2011 when he
created Second to None, a massive sculpture created out of many sports
trophies. Not only attracted to the trophies for their “winning” meaning,
Rocklen has collected them for the sparkle and the forms they are molded into. Rocklen’s Trophy Modern is a smaller version of his trophy works,
commissioned by Peter Norton for his annual Christmas gift series.
Trophies have acted as an object that embodies struggle and work and
accomplishment within sports, but that have also become overabundant
in their dissemination to children for every accomplishment, including
simply participation. The duality and changing meaning of trophies
heightens their power—even if they are merely a bit of plastic, metal,
andwood.
–Double Play