New Exhibition in Bucharest Brings Together More than 100 Works by Brâncuși

The pioneer of modernism, Constantin Brâncuși, is today considered one of the most prominent artists of the 20th century. Known for his sculptures, photographs, and paintings, he created a restrained, elegant use of pure form, free of any influence.

This September, the Timișoara National Art Museum is hosting the exhibition Brâncuși: Romanian Sources and Universal Perspectives, featuring more than a hundred works, many of which have never been publicly exhibited in Romania. This is the first time in 50 years that the artist has had a show in his home country.  

The Patriarch Of Modern Sculpture

The exhibition was made possible by generous loans from private collections and public ones, such as the National Museum of Modern Art, Center Pompidou in Paris, Tate Modern in London, the Guggenheim Foundation, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the National Museum of Art in Bucharest and the Museum of Art in Craiova. It will highlight different stages of the artist's career.

As a child, Constantin Brâncuși (1876-1957) did not go to school and, as was the tradition, would help on his parent's farm. Yet it was there that he learned wood carving, a skill that he cultivated throughout his life. After graduating from Bucharest School of Fine Arts, his life was completely changed when he saw the works by Auguste Rodin, for it fired the curiosity in a young man to explore what kind of art existed outside of the borders of his city. Brâncuși moved to Paris, where his work brought him the title "the patriarch of modern sculpture."

The Kiss And Other Series 

A theme that Brâncuși often explored is the kiss. Throughout his career, it has frequently appeared in his work as he never lost fascination with it. The section Romanian Sources and Universal Perspectives opens with one of the artist's most famous sculptures, The Kiss, created in 1907. The series shows the progression of Brâncuși's artistic practice as he begins utilizing direct cut technique.

The artist favored exploring primeval arts and did not concern himself with current or political events in his home country. However, even he could not remain untouched by the events of 1940 and 1945 when Romania lost parts of its territory. Inspired by the incidents, he created one of his most famous pieces, Borne frontière (Border Marker), in 1945.

Besides other prominent series, such as La Muse endormie or Mlle Pogany and the series Bird in Space, the exhibition will also showcase Brâncuși's photographs.

Brâncuși At Timișoara National Art Museum

This year, Timișoara will not only be home to one of the finest exhibitions of the great Romanian artists but is also the European Capital of Culture. The museum offers a rare opportunity to immerse oneself in the life and career of an artist who, above all else, celebrated his country's cultural heritage. A catalogue will accompany the exhibition under the direction of the curator Doina Lemny.

The exhibition Brâncuși: Romanian Sources and Universal Perspectives at Timișoara National Art Museum will be on view from September 30th until January 28th, 2023.

Featured image: Constantin Brancusi - The Kiss, 1907. Museum of Art, Craiova