Julio Gonzales, Henri Laurens, Lynn Chadwick etc. Calder Alexander -
Dubuffet Jean -
Giacometti Alberto -
Maillol Aristide -
Marini Marino -
Moore Henry -
Picasso Pablo -
Richier Germaine -
Ubac Raoul -
Palazuelo Pablo -
Zadkine Ossip -
Penalba Alicia -
Nevelson Louise -
César Baldaccini -
Chillida Eduardo -
Miro Joan -
Lardera Berto -
Pillet Edgard -
Gilioli Emile -
Bury Pol -
Bill Max -
Pevsner Antoine -
Berrocal Miguel -
Jacobsen Robert -
Adam Henri-Georges -
Dekker An -
Clément Alain -
Suzanne Jean -
Manolo Hugué -
Serra Richard -
Viseux Claude -
In sculpture, the greatest changes occurred during the first three decades of the 20th century.
Cubism, Russian avant-garde, the discovery of primitive art, all these important artistic phases, and many more besides, took sculpture away from figuration toward abstraction, away from a “solid” representation to one that is “open”.
In the past, entirely determined by the desires of their patrons, sculptural works were often conceived to enhance some architectural element. With the 20th century, sculptors were able to finally free themselves from the constraints of creating purely decorative pieces. Sculptures audaciously and with simplicity occupied their own space.
Giacometti explains the new way of conceiving sculpture: “Sculpture stands in emptiness. It is the space, which the artist digs out in order to construct the obect, and then the object itself, which are the actual creators of space.”
The abstract works of Julio Gonzales perfectly illustrate this conquest of their own space. Each one was conceived so as to do away with the notion of “frontality”, so as to be observed from every possible angle, so as to surprise the observer and encourage him to walk full circle around it.
Assemblages and metal constructions create new rhythms and unexpected angles in total freedom. Modern sculpture is best characterized by this fusion between space and form. This is made obvious in the wotks of Henry Moore, Marino Marini, Alexander Calder, Henri Laurens, among many others belonging to the first generation. They were followed by younger sculptors like Cjillida, Jacobsen, Chadwick, Lardera, etc).
Index chosen on the movements, important currents and events in the XX 2nd century art
I wanted to give here, with 46 various short introductions, some general elements on the movements or currents of art, groups or exhibitions, which concern the artists whose works are presented in gallery or were it recently. The table, above, will make it possible to visually locate the periods or dates in time.
Each entry is followed of a list of the principal artists belonging to the movement or current. It may be that there is only one simple relationship between such or such artist and the movement in which in theory one locates it (Click on the names in blue to reveal work or works currently in stock).
It will be understood, some movements are represented much than of others in my gallery. The same artist will be often found in several movements (as each one knows it, it was thus).
Although these some introductions, briefly developed, are not addressed to the specialists, they will forgive me the few lapses of memory or choices which would lend to discussion. I hope that these tiny introductions will be however useful to some of you. Michelle Champetier
