Euphonic Flame

Rod Lathim

47” x 9” x 7”

Repurposed Trombone, Neon

Rod Lathim’s Euphonic Flame transforms a repurposed trombone into an illuminated sculpture that blurs the boundaries between object, sound, and spirit. Rising vertically like a ritual totem, the brass instrument becomes a conduit for light, energy, and transcendence. Lathim’s decades-long career in theatre, where storytelling and human vulnerability shape the emotional arc of performance, is echoed here in a new medium. Instead of directing actors and movement, Lathim sculpts with light itself, a force he describes as both life-giving and restorative.

Encircling the trombone’s slide is a radiant arc of multicolored neon glass. Passages of clear tubing reveal the soft blue-green glow of combusted argon gas, creating a vapor-like halo that feels akin to breath made visible. This misty radiance transforms the instrument into a vessel that seems to inhale and exhale, capturing the vital exchange that underlies both music and life. Echoing the neon breakthroughs of Dan Flavin and Keith Sonnier, Lathim’s use of a vintage instrument introduces a personal narrative dimension. His practice aligns with artists like Arman and Jean Tinguely, merging mechanical and musical forms with expressive sculpture.

From the trombone’s upward-facing bell unfurls a spiraling neon flame in turquoise and fuchsia. Its curves echo the rising motion of vibration, breath, and musical resonance. Lathim’s sculpture aligns with the theme of Mash Gallery’s group exhibition Rhythmic Contours, by transforming rhythm into light, breath into color, and sound into sculptural motion.

Euphonic Flame stands at the intersection of art, music, and spiritual inquiry. Informed by his studies in music therapy and his decades of work with Access Theatre, Lathim’s work embodies his belief in illumination as a healing force. The repurposed trombone carries its own history and energy. Lathim listens to the past lives of his instruments, allowing their stories to inform each gesture of neon. With Euphonic Flame, Rod Lathim creates not only a sculpture but a visual hymn, illuminated by breath, sound, and the eternal flame of human creativity.