Title
Hiroshima – Space of Becalmed Beings
Artist
Magdalena ABAKANOWICZ
Year
1992-1993
Material
bronze

Work Description

Born in Poland, Abakanowicz began weaving in earnest after graduating from art school. Eventually, her work expanded from traditional tapestries to sculptural works. She shifted from biomorphic forms made with plant fibers such as sisal, hemp, and rope to renderings of the human body such as her Backs series, and began to use a wider variety of materials including wood, stone, iron, and bronze. This work presents several dozen people’s backs originally made with hemp and glue, but cast in bronze. The backs of the forty figures sit like mute shells, but each one shows unique features such as wrinkles and scars, reminding us of the tragic fates that individuals endure.

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