A View from the Vault: Lonnie Holley’s "I Got My Power from the Sun"
by Leah Mackall, gallery attendant supervisor, Museums
Upon the walls of Old College gallery rests a wiry sculpture full of life. Layers upon layers of thin golden metal wire and rubber cord seem to spontaneously bend and loop, forming a loose sunburst form erupting from the flat wall plane. Circular metal found objects sit at the sculpture’s center, from which wiry peaks and petals extend outward. What seems like a straightforward abstracted take on a natural form is all a matter of perspective. Move to view the sculpture from the side and a new feature appears: a face! A thick, braided electrical cord protrudes from the left side of the form, helping to define a profile view of the face, head and hair of the sculpture’s mysterious silhouette.
Lonnie Holley (United States, b. 1950), I Got My Power from the Sun, 1993, wire, rubber, and found object, Museum Collections, Gift of Robert and Joanne Mitchell.
I Got My Power from the Sun (1993), created by multidisciplinary artist Lonnie Holley (American, b. 1950), pushes its viewers to understand the power of perspective. Through viewing the sculpture’s contorted, wiry nature from a different angle the viewer is left to approach the lively silhouetted figure head on, allowing its sculptural face to finally have a chance to speak directly to its audience and share its story. I Got My Power from the Sun ultimately encourages us to see that observing differing perspectives can help convey valuable, complex histories and meanings, no matter the material or canvas.
Since 1979, Lonnie Holley has dedicated his artistic craft to the practice of improvisational creativity, often utilizing found objects as the spontaneous basis of his sculptural assemblages. These found objects, already embedded with their own cultural and artistic meanings and metaphors, are combined by Holley into narrative works that often commemorate places, people, and even stories personal to Holley and African American culture at large. Through the mediums of art and music Holley has figured out a way to fully immerse his audience into his work through active, spontaneous storytelling. I Got My Power from the Sun is no exception. With little formal artistic education Holley has found a way to interpret the stories and tensions of the world through his unique use of perspective and unconventional materials.
Lonnie Holley (United States, b. 1950), I Got My Power from the Sun, 1993, wire, rubber, and found object, Museum Collections, Gift of Robert and Joanne Mitchell. (Side view.)
The work’s title, I Got My Power from the Sun, still leaves a lot up to interpretation. Who is getting their power from the sun? The viewer? The silhouetted face? Holley? What type of power is being communicated here? With little contextual background the work’s title seems to echo Holley’s improvised artistic practice, possibly beginning as a random phrase that popped into Holley’s mind at the time of the work’s creation. Nonetheless I Got My Power from the Sun encourages its viewers to intentionally approach the complex stories and works that surround them from differing perspectives.
I Got My Power from the Sun is currently on view in the Main Gallery in Old College through the Fall of 2026.
“A View from the Vault” showcases some of the unique, notable or rare items that are a part of the Special Collections and Museums holdings at the University of Delaware. Each month, we highlight a different work and share interesting facts or intriguing histories about it. If you are interested in seeing any of the materials featured in person or want to learn more about any work showcased in the series, please contact Special Collections and Museums at AskSpec or AskMuseums.