The Artist Project: Barry X Ball

The fragment belonged to royalty during a brief period in Egypt when polytheism shifted to monotheism and back. Ball laments how political and religious changes often lead to the destruction of art, a deeply personal and emotional issue for artists like himself.

Encountering objects like this fragment allows Ball to understand the intentions of ancient Egyptian artists. He feels a strong connection to their work, finding it admirable and profoundly human, despite the passage of millennia.

Barry X Ball, a sculptor, describes an Amarna-period Egyptian fragment as a masterpiece balancing idealization and human qualities. He notes that the missing parts, paradoxically, enhance its power, and highlights the mouth as the most captivating feature.

Ball observes how the unique ridge line around the lips, which might seem otherworldly, instead makes them appear fleshy. He also points out subtle human details like puckers and incised wrinkles in the neck, showcasing a sense of integrity in its creation.

The fragment, made of yellow jasper (harder than steel), demonstrates an extraordinary level of technical skill. Ball emphasizes that even with 21st-century technology, he would struggle to match the pure technical achievement of this ancient piece.