Art Appreciation

Bronze Crowd is a series of statues by artist Magdalena Abakanowicz. When first seen, it is a row of rough metal statues, all of which are headless. To me, it appears to be a commentary on individuality in a group. All of them are similar but unique in that there are minor variations in the form of bumps, scratches, cracks, and other such characteristics which others may see as imperfections if they did not know it was an artwork. They are all barefoot and some of them give the idea of wearing clothing, although if you inspect it very closely, they don't really have a distinct form. Whether the artist intended it or not, some of the folds and rough aspects of the metal make it appear as though some of them are wearing suits, jackets, or some other sort of clothing when the statues are viewed at a distance. Up close, though, they aren't wearing anything. They're barefoot, and possibly, MAYBE have male/female forms, though that depends on the viewer. The artist, being born in prewar Poland, has likely experienced some truly terrible things. This collection of statues may very well represent monsters from her and/or nameless and faceless people she remembers from her childhood. After reading the artist's background, the artwork feels less profound and more somber. She most certainly saw some terrible, terrible things during the German occupation in WWII and the Soviet rule in the accompanying decades. These people could very easily be neighbors which perished or disappeared in the night; friends and family members she lost, or the monsters which perpetrated these things on her life. As a work of art, this piece deserves preservation if for no other reason than historical significance. I wouldn't place a "good" or "bad" rating on it, since I see all art forms as deserving of preservation. I couldn't exactly place my finger on her intended message before reading the rest of the plaque, but I could tell that some sort of social commentary enshrouds this piece. It is significant and conveys some sort of message even if the viewer has no idea what it is. If I had to, I would call it a "good" piece because of that fact. You may not be aware of the subject matter, the context, or any of those other things which a more informed viewer might know of, but it's a very, very, very powerful artwork. Having seen these sculptures has caused me to rethink the ways people recall their experiences. It isn't all memoirs and autobiographies. Paintings, sculptures, installations.... ANY form of art can be used to convey thoughts and experiences. After having read the rest of the information on the plaque, my interpretation was more or less the same, save for the fact that the main monster being represented is the evil Mob Mentality. The statues without heads are the people who lived in and around her community who either went along with the Germans and helped them commit their atrocities, or simply did not fight back out of fear. There are many different individuals, but they all acted as one because of the stress placed upon them. It certainly lends the piece some power and gives it a better explanation than my own simple one. Anyone wishing to see this piece for themselves may find it at the Nasher Sculpture Museum in Dallas, Texas.