Herbert Simons's sculpture studio is in Shavertown, PA. Of his metal human-scale still lifes of commonplace objects, such as paint cans, a mail box and night table, the artist states that he is interested in humor, in "freezing" ongoing actions and in accumulations of objects in plausible and implausible groupings. All are made of fabricated aluminum with shiny surfaces finished in a medley of ways. Simon's sculpture landscapes miniaturize grand compositions of the geometric qualities and pattern repetition found in old industrial plants and company housing. Simon comments "I wish to capture the stark, austere grandeur of these 20th century ruins." In many of the pieces, the brilliant aluminum sheen is set in stark contrast to rusted steel components. Excerpt reprinted from exhibition booklet published by the Allentown Art Museum Simon's humorous excursions into art/statement are done with fabricated objects picked from the psyche of the mass society. These are still-lives of the mind, such as in the rather involved fantasy piece, "Insomniac's Night Table," which illustrates Simon's almost compulsive detailing and replication. A rusted steel end table is complete with an assortment of materials an insomniac would need - coffee mug, books, tissues, radio, clock, cigarettes and ash tray. All are fabricated in aluminum and stainless steel, viewed as a contrast to the red/brown of the end table's rust. It is a one-joke piece where the content is all too clear. Or is it? Simon's approach is both, pop-art and conceptual pun, as he explains in his artist's statement. "In 1987 1 began making sculptures based on commonplace objects," he said. "It occurred to me that the base of these works might be objects which in the 'real' world serve the function of support, that is, chairs, tables, ladders ... I did not want to use existing objects, as I'm not concerned with assemblage "ready-mades" or Duchampian irony." By recreating the works in metal, Simon feels an aesthetic distance is fully realized in "In the Shadow of the Factory," a steel-town tableau in miniature that crafts an illusion of reality cast in metal. TIM HIGGINS Freelance writer on the visual arts for The Morning Call Review reprinted from The Morning Sun, Friday, June 21, 1991