Untitled 1932

This sculpture by Anton Prinner, whose date is unknown, looks like it’s made from painted wood. I love how Prinner uses bold, primary colors broken up into sharp geometric shapes. This isn’t a smooth sculpture, it's got a real handmade feel. There's something very satisfying in the way the different triangular segments lock together. I find myself focusing on the way the different colors interact with each other. The red and yellow feel warm, while the blue and black sections feel much cooler. Zooming in, I can see the brushstrokes, which feels very personal, like I am in his studio. Prinner wasn’t trying to hide his working process. Instead, he’s letting us in on the act of making. This reminds me of some of the geometric abstraction by early modernist sculptors like Archipenko, who were looking at how they could create three dimensional forms from simple shapes. Ultimately, the beauty of a piece like this lies in its openness. We can bring our own experiences and feelings to it.