Be ˈKyu̇r-ē-əs! — June

Why is Lucky "Immortal"?

"Lucky the Immortal is a sculpture I made when I was thinking about the Immortal Narratives from Chinese lore. Basically an Immortal is a being that starts out human but enlightenment transforms them into a being that can travel between this world and other realms. Immortal's physical nature transforms as well. Enlightenment changes them into the form of a toad or a dog or bat. My Immortal Lucky has grown extra ears, noses and arms. He also has a tattoo of a battleship on his chest. This is a leftover from Lucky's mortal days. He was a macho kind of guy back then. He is pointing to a small plant that is coming out of his head. This represents the world that Lucky is now a part of and where he is going. The humble natural world."

— Michael Ferris, Jr., 2009

Michael Ferris, Jr., Lucky the Immortal, 1996, wood intarsia, ceramic, 83” x 53” x 27.5."

More Lucky Facts:

Michael's childhood home in Chicago was curated by his mother, a painter, and his artist/designer father. Among the artful decor was a table from Southeast Asia that showcased the beauty of intarsia woodworking - intricate patterns created by juxtaposing different species and colors of wood. Inspired by the beauty and craftsmanship of the table, Michael utilizes the wood intarsia process for the "skin" of his figurative sculptures. Over a structurally-sound wood armature and another layer or two of sculpted Popsicle sticks, Michael glues small shapes of different colored woods that he has meticulously cut into small pieces. His homemade "grout" is sawdust, pigment and wood glue, which is applied over the surface and fills the intentional spaces. When sanded and varnished, the surface is smooth (but don't touch!) and vibrates with pattern and movement.

The painted burrito in Lucky's nose is rumored to reference Mr. Ferris' taking part in burrito-eating contests as a young adult. Oh my!