Blood Relation, 2006
Materials: Bronze and wax
The way Kapoor uses the red wax in a variety of ways; melted irregular form, molded spheres, a melted puddle and a congealed wedge.
This brings a variety of textures of roughness, smoothness and reflective highlights to the piece. The different states of the wax can reference transformation, specifically life stages.
The use of the material could be labeled as symbolic since Kapoor uses the material’s texture and color to reference blood and the body. The use of two large bronze boxes inscribed with text by Salman Rushdie, presents the piece as a memorial.
From what I can tell Kapoor did not dip his objects and is not using the wax as a decorative surface treatment, but is rather driving the content forward through the use of the red wax.
Lisson Gallery. (n.d.). Lisson Gallery. https://www.lissongallery.com/exhibitions/anish-kapoor–2/artwork/blood-relations-2006