We’re All Searching for Rest
William Massey
What do you reach for when things fall apart?
William Massey’s sculpture takes a candid look at addiction in everyday life. A ten-foot-tall human figure comprised of found objects symbolizing various addictions, We’re All Searching for Rest vividly depicts our efforts to fill the inner void with everything from cigarettes and alcohol to online shopping, caffeine, sugar, and even work.
A well-known Atlanta sculptor whose creations can be seen across the southeastern United States, Massey says he also wanted to explore what happens when a person’s pain remains invisible to others. Is empathy possible when someone is suffering profoundly, but that wound can’t be seen? “I wanted people to relate to addiction with a little more open-handedness and open-heartedness,” he says. “We all have this ache in us, this profound discomfort. We’re searching for a way to bring ease and peace to that place inside ourselves. We’re searching for rest.”
William Massey is a found-object sculptor in Atlanta, Georgia, who creates a revitalized whole from divided fragments. In his public installations, William utilizes not only physical pieces of history and equitable historical narrative, but also welcomes local communities in a collaborative process to create each artwork.