Elliot Eames Saarinen Life Size Cast Aluminum Modern Sculpture titled 'Susie'

The artist, Elliot Eames Saarinen, son of Eero Saarinen, inspired by his grandmother Lilly's tender homage to her mother, Grandma Susie, created this sculpture to honor the timeless legacy of family and tradition; exploring the connections between familial legacy, cultural symbolism, and the enduring resilience of the human spirit. This piece melds the old with the new, forging a bridge between past and present. Through the meticulous fusion of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology, Saarinen sought to breathe new life into this intimate relic, preserving its intricate details for posterity. Using a 3D scanner, the artist mapped a maquette made by his grandmother, representing her mother. The digital file was then used to forge this life size, aluminum sculpture with computer numerical controlled technology.
Atop Grandma Susie's head rests a pomegranate, symbolizing fertility, abundance, and the cyclical nature of life. With each seed representing a new beginning, the pomegranate serves as a metaphor for the regenerative force of memory that transcends time and space. As Grandma Susie plays the accordion, her fingers weaving melodies of hope and comfort, the pomegranate atop her head radiates with the promise of new life and the continuity of generations. It is a visual symphony of past and present, where tradition meets innovation, and the echoes of our ancestors resonate in harmony with the rhythms of the modern world. It is a celebration of the fertile ground from which we all spring forth, rooted in the timeless legacy of those who came before us.
This sculpture stands as a testament to the indelible mark left by generations long gone.