Summary
The Screw consists of three carved wooden elements which fit together to make the piece. The elements are a semi-circular form, a head-like oval and a central screw shape that ‘fixes’ the three elements together. Each piece is carved in wood of a different colour. Unlike some earlier works where separate elements can be recombined, such as Poem 1963–5 (Tate T13278), The Screw can only be configured one way. With its singular form that is comprised of separate interlocking parts, the work can be read as a metaphor for human relationships and sexuality, as well as for the Sufist and Islamic notion of oneness. Like many of Choucair’s works, each separate part contributes to the whole while having its own unique identity. The artist has related this to Arabic poetry, where each stanza can stand alone while being part of a bigger whole… (read more)
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