Non-Figurative Sculpture

Description

• Child-like, abstracted glass, use of a ready-made absinthe spoon
• Spoon on top, iced water is dripped over the sugar cube into the absinthe
• Untradtional painted sculpture, glass tilts, voids and spcae, rings show how full it is

Context

• Absinthe popular in bohemian cafe circles in Paris, but it was very addictive
• Representation of face after absinthe, formalistic excercise in hallucination and intoxication
• 'You should have some idea od what you are going to do, but it should be a vague one'
• Painted bronze- return to classical/medieval sculpture, influence of Gaugin
• Eistein's ideas of insability of time and space, Bergson- reality a flux of sensual experience
• Princet and Poincakes theories about juxtaposition of ojects in space

Description

• Gracefully arches, represents bird in flight, lithe and graceful, accelerates upwards
• Highly polished bronze, gold finish, lack of indivdualising features
• Essence of subject, asymmetrical or symmetrical depending on position

Context

• Wanted to create art to defy categorisation, some called it an areoplane propellar
• 1926 tried to display at NY Brummer Gallery, officals said it was a 'utalitarian object'
• Brancusi v. US- court updated their definition of art, doesn't need to exactly resemble
• Crowninshield: 'it has the suggestion of flight...potency and beauty, just as a bird does'

Description

• 3 ovals, imperfect in shape, simple forms, eradicated of colour, harmonious arrangement
• Space/ sizes between ovals are proportional, sphere a compositional measure against ovals
• Serravezza marble- classicism and permanence
• Modernists saw white as sign of 'perfection, purity and certitude'

Context

• Move away from earlier abstracted forms, 'abtract vision of beauty'
• 1934 her triplets born, the 'only fresh influence', pregnancy had limited her art
• Use of drect carving techniques of Brancusi and Arp
• White- links to contemporary architecture e.g. Le Corbusier, clarity and harmony and Mondrian studio- 'gleamed with whiteness' 
• Spheres influenced by husband Nicholson's relief sculpture