Slab Man, polychromed Vinyl resin and Fiberglas, Duane Hanson, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University

Realism or Pop Art: Slab Man’s name tag reads David, but he is called Dave, and he is taking a break.

A family enters the gallery and immediately head for Dave. He’s one of the most popular attractions at the Cantor Arts Center.

Dave, the Slab Man, and visitors

The citation on the wall near Slab Man reads:

Cast in polyester resin from the live model, Duane Hanson’s sculptures erase the boundaries between art and life, shocking and delighting the spectator while also making him aware that the actual act of seeing presents the opportunity for pleasure and drama.

Hanson said: “ People enjoy seeing a sort of reflection of their society. The human form is so close to all of us and we don’t really get a chance to analyze it… because of [the] taboos… [of] staring at people….”

— Cantor Arts Center.

Taking a closer look at Slab Man.

“Life imitates art far more than art imitates Life.” — Oscar Wilde

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Check out the other responses to the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Life Imitates Art.