Ugle 1918

Editor: Here we have François Pompon’s bronze sculpture, "Ugle," from 1918. The sleekness of the piece is really striking – its simple form gives it a sense of quiet authority. What stands out to you? Curator: Immediately, the owl presents itself as a primal symbol, holding centuries of human projection. In many cultures, the owl embodies wisdom, but also death and the occult. Consider the reflective surface, almost mirror-like: does Pompon intend for us to see ourselves reflected in these ancient associations? Editor: That’s interesting. The owl is often portrayed as wise, like you mentioned, but there’s definitely a darker side, a connection to the night. Curator: Exactly. Note how Pompon simplifies the form, almost to abstraction. What remains are pure curves and smooth surfaces. By stripping away detail, the artist amplifies the owl’s symbolic weight. The owl becomes less an individual creature and more a vessel for collective unconscious fears and fascination. Does the polished bronze heighten that sense, turning the sculpture into an almost fetish object? Editor: A fetish object, in what way? Curator: In the anthropological sense – a thing imbued with a symbolic power exceeding its material form, acting as a conduit for spiritual forces or ancestral memories. It asks us, perhaps, what do we project onto this image, and why? Editor: So it's less about the owl itself and more about what it represents? It really changes how you look at it! Curator: Precisely. We see not just a bird, but a convergence of human hopes, fears, and mythologies cast in bronze. A reminder that symbols are never neutral; they carry our history with them. Editor: Thanks for shedding light on all of that. I'll definitely look at art differently now, considering its symbolism and cultural connections.