Head of a Boxer 1920

Henri Laurens made this 'Head of a Boxer' out of stone. It's all in these cool, neutral shades of gray and cream, like a foggy morning. You can see that it is a really process-oriented piece. I love the way Laurens lets the material do its thing; the texture is so present. He’s not trying to hide the stone, but uses it to add to the feeling of the artwork. It's solid, like a boxer needs to be, but also kind of broken up into planes and shapes. This reminds me of the cut and thrust of a fight, the way a boxer has to think on their feet, always changing tactics. Look at the line that suggests the eye. It is as if Laurens is winking at us, acknowledging the humour of trying to reduce something as complex as a face to such basic forms. Picasso comes to mind, with that same playfulness. It’s not about perfection, but about finding new ways to see. It’s all just a big, ongoing conversation.