When the Harvard Magazine arrives, I usually sigh a bit (mentally) and shrug. The articles are interesting but they seem like such a rah-rah effort to advertise Harvard’s greatness. I will usually try to read at least one — because they are generally well-written and I do learn from them.

But this summer when the magazine arrived this article about Davis Esterly immediately caught my attention because what he creates is so defiantly reactionary and post-post-modern. He carves lime or linden wood to create the 3-dimensional objects that outdo nature. His work reminds me of the watch maker in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story “The Artist of the Beautiful.” This artist creates a beautiful, mechanical butterfly after years of devoted study, craftsmanship, and dedication. Hawthorne says that even a breath from an inimical person made the glowing, floating butterfly fade and droop. I feel like Esterly’s carvings are like that butterfly — imbued with an artificial life.

To read the article, click the link below:

http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/07/the-art-of-subtraction

To visit David Esterly’s website, click here:

http://davidesterly.com/index.html