Three Fragments of a Lost Tale: Sculpture and Story by John Frame

Exhibition showcases new work by artist John Frame

Filmmaker Johnny Coffeen explores the artist's process in this 8-minute film, scored by John Frame.

Some three dozen intricately carved sculptures by Southern California artist John Frame take center stage in a new exhibition that brings together a body of work carefully assembled over the past five years, featuring sculpture, still photography, and stop-motion animation. “Three Fragments of a Lost Tale: Sculpture and Story by John Frame” will be presented from March 12 to June 27 in the MaryLou and George Boone Gallery.

Frame has been creating figurative sculpture examining the human condition since the 1980s. In this most recent project, he has expanded into photography and filmmaking to give additional dimension to the pieces.

“This is an exciting departure from our more typical exhibitions at The Huntington,” says Jessica Todd Smith, Virginia Steele Scott Chief Curator of American Art. “We very rarely have featured living artists, but John’s work is so closely connected with The Huntington’s collections—from Shakespeare to William Blake—that it resonated strongly with all of us.” The artist also has been invited to curate an installation in the Huntington Art Gallery of about a dozen Huntington-owned works by Blake. That display, “Born to Endless Night: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints by William Blake Selected by John Frame,” will run concurrent with the main exhibition. 

“Three Fragments of a Lost Tale” is co-curated by Smith and Kevin M. Murphy, The Huntington’s Bradford and Christine Mishler Associate Curator of American Art.  

The project had its beginnings in a dream: Frame was jolted awake by what seemed like an unfolding story complete with cast and scenes. It would become his next body of work and, he says, may carry him through the remainder of his lifetime. 

At the heart of the project is a cast of characters made of intricately carved wood and found objects. Distinct from earlier work, these figures are fully articulated, with moving limbs, fingers, jaws, and eyes,  evoking complex identities with distinct interests.