Helmet Head No. 1 1950

Henry Moore made this bronze head, called Helmet Head No. 1, and for me, it’s all about process. You can see how he’s worked and reworked the surface of this piece, building up the form with layer upon layer, which makes you think about the way things take shape over time. It's interesting to consider how the material itself informs the meaning. Moore is using bronze, which is heavy, solid, and permanent. But the form itself is so open, and it creates this empty space where the face should be, that you think, what is being protected by this helmet? The helmet has this rough, almost crusty texture. It gives the sculpture a sense of age, as if it’s been through a lot. The surface of this thing has a depth, so when light falls on it, it’s almost as if the sculpture is breathing. It’s hard not to think of something like Brancusi’s ‘Sleeping Muse’, the way that transforms the human form into something so simple and elemental. Really though, art's just one big conversation across time, right? And maybe the best conversations are the ones that leave you with more questions than answers.