Girl 1954

This is Reg Butler’s sculpture, Girl, over here at the Tate Modern. The thinness of the bronze is everything, right? It’s like a drawing in space and feels so tentative. The way Butler plays with the surfaces is key, especially where the figure holds her arms above her head, pulling at her shirt. It feels like a fleeting moment, a gesture caught in time, and I love that. Up close, the bronze isn't smooth or polished but has this scratched, rough texture. The light catches on it, giving the figure a real sense of presence. It’s as if Butler wanted to capture not just a likeness but also the feeling of skin, the tension and fragility of the body. Look at the feet; they barely touch the ground, like she might float away. There's something about this piece that reminds me of Giacometti, that same sense of elongated form and existential questioning. But Butler brings his own touch, a kind of vulnerability. It’s a piece that stays with you, a quiet meditation on the human condition.