Brancusi- Endless Column version 1, 1918

Visiting the MOMA for the first time, I had the pleasure of being able to see the Constantin Brancusi Sculpture exhibition. An artist who used not only one, but four different types of materials: wood, marble, limestone, and bronze in his artwork. Brancusi also designed the bases of the sculptures to be a part of the work instead of resting the work of art on the same base for all of his work. This kind of style allows each piece to be unique and for the viewer to take notice of the shape and design of the base. For some artist, a maquette or sketch of the idea is planned out before completing the artwork. However, Brancusi was one of the few who didn’t plan out on paper but started working immediately, his whole plan in his head. As a college student in art school, I couldn’t begin a project without putting my plan down on paper or make a small version of the idea first. Even after I had everything planned, I still continued to change the idea as I progressed in my work.

Walking into the exhibition, the first thing I had noticed was the size of each sculpture compared to what is seen when you open a book. I particularly found it fascinating to see the Bird in Space in person because the artwork seemed so small in an art history book. Second, I noticed the location of the descriptions of the sculptures were not beside the artwork but placed on the wall at a reasonable distance from the art. I found this to be a great place for the descriptions to avoid the viewers from reading about the work and then moving on. In the past, when visiting other museums, I would see people read the description first or search for a description before taking a moment to look at the art in front of them. Lastly, I noticed the layout of the sculptures that allowed for a 360-degree view of the work. In many cases, I’ve seen work placed against the wall or side by side, preventing the viewer to see the work from all points of view. It’s important to see a work from all sides in order to get the full effect of what the artist went through in completing the work, such as the variety of marks or textures used.

One piece, in particular, stood out to me amongst the artwork and that was the Endless Column. Made in 1918 and carved from wood, specifically oak. This artwork caught my interest because it was a series of shapes that were stacked on top of each other and looked as if there was no limit to height. Just looking at the piece, you could imagine the work continuing on to heights that even a human being couldn’t reach even with the tallest ladder. The Endless Column reminded me of how certain things in the world are endless no matter how many years pass, such as the earth and the universe itself. The different marks made from carving into the wood were interesting, including the visible wood grain.