Lot 41
**Originally Listed At $350**
Jerry W. Coker (American, b. 1938). "The Provider" mixed media: roofing tin and wood mask, n.d. Titled at lower left and signed on verso. Shaped from weathered roofing tin and mounted to a cut wood base, Jerry W. Coker's "The Provider" honors one of the most essential figures in rural life - not a person, but the cow itself. Bent and burnished into the abstract contours of a bovine head, the metal surface bears the marks of time and toil: rust blooms, hammer dimples, and silvery scuffs that evoke a life of labor and quiet sustenance. This is not a portrait of an individual, but a tribute to the animal as archetype - the one who feeds, clothes, and supports. Coker, raised in the rural South and long fascinated by the cast of characters who passed through his parents' Arkansas furniture store, has turned his gaze here to one of the most humble yet vital providers of all. Size: 14" W x 20.5" H (35.6 cm x 52.1 cm)
Known for his "identity masks" - sculptural tributes to the memorable figures of his youth - he expands the definition of identity to include the animals who shaped his world. "The Provider" acknowledges the cow as a cornerstone of agrarian life, offering meat, milk, and hide, often without thanks.
The mask's asymmetrical wooden support and patchworked tin skin reflect Coker's self-described style: "folk-stream Expressionist." A self-taught artist who calls himself a "Cokerian," he transforms salvaged materials into expressive, elemental forms. Here, the warped metal and hand-cut silhouette speak with quiet authority - this is not folk art for sentiment's sake, but a raw and reverent offering. The title, hand-written along the bottom of the panel in all caps - "The Provider" - grounds the piece with simple truth. In a world that often forgets the source of its nourishment, Coker reminds us through humble material and evocative form that the cow, too, deserves remembrance.
About the artist: "Jerry Coker was born in Arkansas, but has resided in Florida for most of his life. His collection "Identity Masks" of masks made with rusted roofing tin are modeled after people from his rural childhood who were patrons of his parent's furniture store. His rural background largely influenced his artistic style and he considers himself a "Renaissance Man" with a specialization in folk art. His art is featured in many important collections across the United States, including the Microsoft Corporation collection." (source: artist's page on the Cummer Museum shop website)
Provenance: private Rochester, Minnesota, USA collection, acquired from 1990 -1998
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#192939
- Condition: Titled at lower left and signed on verso. Mask is in excellent overall condition with patina and age wear consistent with the artist's process. Suspension wire on verso for display.
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