Modern Sculpture - Imbibing Innovation
By Annette Labedzki

Innovative, unbridled, and ungrounded talent is what truly sums up the essence of 'Modern Sculpture.' The era of 'Modern Sculpture' lasted from 1860s through the 1970s. The artists during this period, started breaking old norms, and almost reinvented the wheel in the art of sculpting. Great sculptors, such as Pablo Picasso, George E. Ohr, Peter Voulkos, and Kenneth Price, belong to this school of thought. They ventured into experimentation with fresh ideas. It is hard to express 'Modern Sculptures' in the terms of a characteristic style in make. They involve the creation of three-dimensional structures by the combination of disparate objects into a whole. Modern sculptors made use of various materials, like ceramics, clay, or bronze to add body and charm to their sculptures.

Later on, Modern artists began incorporating a touché of abstraction, opening the new vistas of stylized creations. Legendary artist, Picasso, unveiled his highly acclaimed work, "Chicago Picasso" on August 15, 1967 in Chicago. It is a 50 feet high, massive, abstract bronze structure, which left the viewers pondering whether the subject was a bird, horse, woman, or just a nonfigurative design. This landmark creation was a distinguished indicator of the tryst of 'Modern Sculptors' with bronze. Another magnificent example of this genre was "Knife Edge - Two Piece" (1962), erected near the House of Lords, London, by Henry Moore. This masterpiece became famous more for its innovative design than for its location.

Another celebrated creation dating back to 1970 was "The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin, which is an embodiment of various human emotions. Other artists of these times tried their hands at materials like clay and bronze, but some rather unorthodox maestros created sculptures out of water also. 'Water Sculptures' are articulately designed water fountain set in complex, yet beautiful layouts in combination with metal structures, revolutionary lighting, and musical effects. Famed artists of this cult, such as Mavis McClure, Nathan Oliveira, Robert Holmes, and Archie Held were famous for their detailed execution as well as flawless technique.

Modern sculpture imbibes in itself, various art styles, like 'Geometric Abstraction,' 'DeSijl,' 'Suprematism,' 'Constructivism,' 'Dadaism,' 'Cubism,' 'Surrealism,' 'Futurism,' 'Minimalism,' 'Formalism,' 'Abstract Expressionism,' and 'Pop-Art.' Due to the constantly evolving style of 'Modern Sculpture,' it has always been a great source of knowledge for budding artists. Famous sculptor Henry Moore as has justifiably described the 'Modern Sculpture', "The sensitive observer of sculpture must learn to feel the shape simply as shape, not as description or reminiscence. He must, for example, perceive an egg as a simple solid shape, quite apart from its significance as food, or from the literary idea that it will become a bird."

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

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