The Elephant series – one of the most emblematic artwork series by Daniel Firman – is a specific interpretation of space, not as physical reality but as the support of a vision. The body by its nature has gravity; it is fixed to the earth. The elephant is the heaviest of the land mammals, but here it is a counterpoint that interrogates the sticky surface of the ground. Indeed, it anticipates a world that exists in another space, like this one but without gravity. The sense of space is modified by what Firman has called a « gravitational disturbance », a phenomenon by which notions of up and down, horizontal and vertical, are thrown out of kilter. The animal in itself is not a work of art, it acts as an instrument of information for modifying one’s perception of the space it occupies. As he always does with his sculptural practice, Daniel Firman creates a presence which questions the perception of the spectator, the constant relation between the feel (the proprioception) and the sensory (the senses).The Elephant trilogy positions the body of the animal in three impossible or improbable postures and movements, touching one of the three architectural planes, the synthesis of the cube: the ground, the wall and the ceiling. It suggests the confrontation of a dynamic principle and a static situation, a paradoxical condensing of powerful movement and body. Daniel Firman’s performative sculpture suspends a moment in time and pauses a gesture. Propulsion and fixity account for the eccentric position of the animal.

It was six men of IndostanTo learning much inclined,Who went to see the ElephantThough all of them were blind,[5]That each by observationMight satisfy his mind.The First approached the ElephantAnd, happening to fallAgainst his broad and sturdy side,[10]At once began to bawl:"God bless me, but the ElephantIs very like a wall!"The Second, feeling the tusk,Cried, "Ho! what have we here[15]So very round and smooth and sharp?To me 'tis very clearThis wonder of an ElephantIs very like a spear!"The Third approached the animal[20]And, happening to takeThe squirming trunk within his hands,Thus boldly up he spake:"I see," quoth he, "The ElephantIs very like a snake!"[25]The Fourth reached out an eager hand,And felt about the knee:"What most the wondrous beast is likeIs very plain," quoth he;"Tis clear enough the Elephant[30]Is very like a tree!"The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,Said, "Even the blindest manCan tell what this resembles most;Deny the fact who can:[35]This marvel of an elephantIs very like a fan!"The Sixth no sooner had begunAbout the beast to gropeThen, seizing on the swinging tail[40]That fell within his scope,"I see," quoth he, "the ElephantIs very like a rope!"And so these men of IndostanDisputed loud and long,[45]Each in his own opinionExceeding stiff and strong.Though each was partly in the right,They all were in the wrong!The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe is in the public domain.Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under theCC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licenseRead AloudAnnotateTranslateAssessment QuestionsShow Less12345As a parable, or a simple story used to illustrate a lesson, what knowledge or moral does the poem impart to the audience?

It was six men of IndostanTo learning much inclined,Who went to see the ElephantThough all of them were blind,[5]That each by observationMight satisfy his mind.The First approached the ElephantAnd, happening to fallAgainst his broad and sturdy side,[10]At once began to bawl:"God bless me, but the ElephantIs very like a wall!"The Second, feeling the tusk,Cried, "Ho! what have we here[15]So very round and smooth and sharp?To me 'tis very clearThis wonder of an ElephantIs very like a spear!"The Third approached the animal[20]And, happening to takeThe squirming trunk within his hands,Thus boldly up he spake:"I see," quoth he, "The ElephantIs very like a snake!"[25]The Fourth reached out an eager hand,And felt about the knee:"What most the wondrous beast is likeIs very plain," quoth he;"Tis clear enough the Elephant[30]Is very like a tree!"The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,Said, "Even the blindest manCan tell what this resembles most;Deny the fact who can:[35]This marvel of an elephantIs very like a fan!"The Sixth no sooner had begunAbout the beast to gropeThen, seizing on the swinging tail[40]That fell within his scope,"I see," quoth he, "the ElephantIs very like a rope!"And so these men of IndostanDisputed loud and long,[45]Each in his own opinionExceeding stiff and strong.Though each was partly in the right,They all were in the wrong!The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe is in the public domain.Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under theCC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licenseRead AloudAnnotateTranslateAssessment QuestionsShow Less12345Which of the following best describes the overall tone of the poem?A. Suspicious, as speaker relates that the men seem guarded about what they senseB. Playful, as the speaker recounts the men's comedic attempts to understand an elephantC. Mocking, as the speaker criticizes the men for their failed attempt to see an elephantD. Angry, as speaker describes the men arguing over what the elephant looks likeBackSave & Next

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