Serra Brancusi

Book excerpt: "The starting point for this book is the work of Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957), as expressed in his reduction of volume to tease out formal essence. Some thirty-five exemplary works by Brancusi, among them 'The Kiss' and the 'Column of the Infinite', thus initiate a line of inquiry into the essence and the possibilities of sculpture, the discussion of which continues with a selection of works from different periods by Richard Serra (born 1939), whose art opens up new 'ways of seeing' to his viewers. The resulting juxtaposition of Brancusi's sensuous modeling of marble, bronze, wood, and plaster with Serra's minimalist steel sculptures set in motion a fascinating dialogue. The essays by Friedrich Teja Bach, Alfred Pacquement, Oliver Wick, and others conspire with the concentrated selection of works to underscore not only the contrasts between these two pioneering artists, but also their common ground enabling the reader to experience anew the universal power of sculpture." --Jacket.