Bird in Space (L'Oiseau dans l'espace) 1940

This is "Bird in Space" by Constantin Brâncuși. It was cast in bronze, and then polished to a gleaming, reflective surface. The sculpture exemplifies a tension that runs throughout Brâncuși’s work: on the one hand, its simplicity borders on the industrial. Its sleekness and the repetitive nature of casting suggests a factory-made object. But don't be fooled. It has a handmade quality which gives the object its warmth. Consider the sheer labor of polishing this object to such perfection. You can imagine the careful attention of the artisan, coaxing the metal to a soft sheen. We should note the base too, as important to the sculpture as the bronze itself. These were carefully chosen by Brâncuși, and often carved by him. It serves to root the sculpture but also to lift it towards the sky. Ultimately, it’s the fusion of this labour with the inherent qualities of the bronze that gives this sculpture its powerful presence. It encourages us to look beyond traditional definitions of art, and to consider the social and material context in which art is made.