Mark Sfirri
Homeland Security, c. 2000

Homeland Security is a multi-axis turned wood and painted sculpture that takes the familiar form of a rolling pin, showcasing the brilliance and technical ability of artist Mark Sfirri. This unique piece leverages a whimsical interpretation of ‘home defense,’ merging it seamlessly with the high-precision craft of multi-axis wood turning to encourage reflection on the nuanced themes of safety and security in the domestic sphere.

“My initial motivation for this piece was the challenge of designing a disjointed rolling pin came as an engineering challenge.  I made them as demonstration pieces at various workshops and conferences.  When I decided to finish them, I thought of the timely Homeland Security term which was coming into the nation’s vocabulary at the time. An image of apple pie also seemed to fit.  I decided to portray them sort of like a decal and give the rest a kind of textured and used,  painted finish.” – Mark Sfirri