2009
83 ½” x 9” x 12 ½” each piece of the pair with shattered tempered glass measured to the volume of the artist’s body.
Reach
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Notes on Self
Reach
Reach 1 (2008) and Reach 2 (2009) are dual-form sculptures born from the material history of a lightning-scarred oak tree discovered in a Middletown, KY farm yard. Salvaged by a local lumber mill, the wood—with the ends blackened by the searing strike—forms the structural core. Each piece is a monument defined by the artist’s own body, scaling its dimensions to the height of Radtke standing with both arms outstretched skyward. At the base of these vertical forms, containment fails: a quantity of shattered tempered glass, precisely measured to the artist’s physical volume, is held only briefly before being allowed to cascade outward onto the floor. This juxtaposition of the ancient, violated wood and the violently contained/released modern glass creates a powerful statement on personal measure and the lasting impact of natural force.