A group of stone spheres, about bowling ball size, on a circular field of talc.
Close up of stone spheres showing traces of their movement.
Closeup of one sphere with the impression of an image in the track left by its rolling movement.
Closeup of one sphere with the impression of an image in the track left by its rolling movement.
A group of people engaged in the act of rolling the spheres around.

Self-Seal

Artist(s)
Hugh LeRoy
Date
1984
Object Type
sculpture
Medium
carved soapstone, talc
Dimensions
Nine 30 cm spheres, talc powder in 4.5 m diameter circle
Donor(s)
Estate of Hugh LeRoy
Collections
York University Art Collection
Accession
A2024.003
Tags

Self-Seal, 1984, is comprised of nine balls with images carved into them. The soapstone spheres are exhibited with talc, allowing the images to be imprinted at intervals when pushed and rolled. The images are symbolic, one featuring a figure of a human-animal hybrid conjoined at the head, another has “a frontal representation in which hands are formally placed in front of the eyes,” and a third “leaves behind a pair of parallel lines which cross over to form the horizontal ‘8’ of Infinity”. Positioned inside these lines is a small pod or ‘seed.’ In Self-Seal, LeRoy is influenced by and plays with syntax, associations, authenticity, and the study of matter. The artist was interested in organizing an experience by which a number of motifs came together on a common ground. The nine balls allude to the planets in our solar system but have no fixed track or orbit themselves. Randomness is the central feature of their movement.  

Self-Seal has an element of performance in it. Some photos show Hugh rolling the spheres alone while others show close associates of his also participating in the activity.