On View
On viewObject number2012.9
Standing Security Guard
Artist
Marc Sijan
(American, 1946)
Date2012
Mediumpolyester resin and oil paint
DimensionsOverall: 5 ft. 10 in. × 17 in. × 15 in. (177.8 × 43.2 × 38.1 cm)
Credit LineAcquired through the generosity of an anonymous donor
Exhibition History"Copley to Kentridge: What's New in the Collection?," KIA (Sept.14 - Dec. 1, 2013).
"Lasting Legacy: A Collection for Kalamazoo," Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, Michigan (Sep. 6, 2014 - Jan. 4, 2015).
"do it," KIA, organized by Idependent Curators International (October 27, 2018 - March 3, 2019).Label TextMarc Sijan’s hyperrealistic sculptures blur the boundaries between art and everyday life, often surprising viewers who initially mistake them for real people. Rather than portraying celebrities, Sijan frequently represents working-class people and public servants. Standing Security Guard depicts a uniformed guard identified by his name tag, “ART,” posed with his hand under his chin as he intently observes his surroundings. The name tag serves as both a description and wordplay, referring to the figure’s name and its function as a work of art.
Security has shifted over time, from the role of “night watchmen,” who detected, deterred, observed, and reported, to a focus on loss prevention and risk management. In today’s world of enhanced safety measures and evolving technologies, security and those who provide it have increasingly become points of social tension. As a result, Sijan’s transformation of an ordinary worker into a sculpture invites reflection on how labor, authority, and visibility in the United States are shaped by changing social conditions.
[Label Text: For the People: America at 250 Exhibition, June 27 - October 4, 2026]
