Ernest Tino Trova
Falling Man: Wrapman, 1984
Stainless steel
Museum Purchase with Student Government Association funds
“I haven’t organized a formal statement on my personal philosophy or on the interpretation of the falling man theme. I can say that I have, in a general way, meditated for a number of years on the nature of man; re/ man as an imperfect creature and his aspirations to overcome his nature. I might say the [works] show man as victim in various environments—some perilous, some placid. Perhaps the message…might be—no matter what the predicament man finds himself in ... or how helpless he is in controlling his state of being ... he can act with intelligence and dignity and without hysteria.” Such are artist Ernest Trova’s words about his Falling Man series, exemplified by the Ulrich’s Wrapman.
As you consider the work, think about how Trova may have arrived at this figure as the main motif for his work. The shiny, mechanical form could relate to his childhood; his father was an industrial tool maker and inventor. The sexless body of the Falling Man figures may remind you of a mannequin, which may stem from his first job. After his father’s death, Trova found employment as a window dresser for an apartment store. Over time, Trova’s falling men become more fragmented and abstract, as you can see in his Canto sculptures, also on the WSU campus.