Glass Ceiling The term 'Glass Ceiling' is used in particular to describe an invisible level above which women cannot progress to positions of greater responsibility. However, this is not represent exclusively a feminine issue, as it is also true of other groups. For fifteen years Camille Claudel was Rodin’s muse, mistress and collaborator and arguably he did his greatest work during this time. She eventually felt the overbearing presence of Rodin and could never break away from his power to establish fully her own independence. |
|
| The sculpture, then,
reflects the split between the two who, when together,
made a whole. The sculpture is composed of a diamond or
lozenge based pyramid intersected with a disc. It is
separated to represent two figures male and female. They
are anonymous except for the head, which is hidden within
the female figure. She looks up at her own reflection in
the head of the male. The sculpture is primarily made of
plaster with a light coating of Titanium white pigment,
which is a reference to Rodin ordering the purest white
marble for the Kiss. In similar vein the textures vary
from smooth to a coarse combed effect to reflect those
used on the Kiss. The inner face of the larger figure is
rubbed with Prussian blue pigment, graphite and black wax
to define the split of the two figures, this colour being
reflected back onto the smooth inner surface of the
female figure. The reflection of the head is created by a
thick bronze mirror covered by a thicker piece of glass,
which gives multiple reflections, serving to confuse the
image. Glass Ceiling was displayed in the foyer of
Lewes Little Theatre during their production of Ibsen's
play 'When We Dead Awake'. |
|
