Brancusi

Artists

Constantin Brancusi

Press release

Brancusi (1876–1957) is regarded as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. After beginning with traditional academic training, he developed his own distinctive style in Paris from 1907 onwards. His organic forms, reduced to their essence, established him as a pioneer of sculptural abstraction in the early 20th century. Brancusi’s continuous search for an artistic ideal is reflected in the formal variations of a few central motifs and his playful use of different materials and surfaces. He masterfully employed pedestals, light, movement, as well as photography and film to stage his sculptures.

In cooperation with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Neue Nationalgalerie presents the first major exhibition of this exceptional artist in Germany in over 50 years. With more than 150 sculptures, photographs, drawings, films, and rarely seen archival materials from the Centre Pompidou and other public and private international collections, the exhibition offers the most extensive survey of Brancusi’s multifaceted work to date. In addition to key works such as “The Kiss”, “Bird in Space”, “Sleeping Muse”, and “Endless Column”, the exhibition also features a partial reconstruction of Brancusi’s legendary studio—shown outside of Paris for the first time since its bequest to the French state in 1957.

While Brancusi’s work is widely recognized in France, the artist remains relatively unknown to the broader public in Germany. This exhibition aims to raise awareness of his significance and give Brancusi the attention he deserves.

The exhibition is held under the joint patronage of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Mr Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.

Curated by: Klaus Biesenbach and Maike Steinkamp, Neue Nationalgalerie as well as Ariane Coulondre and Valérie Loth, Centre Pompidou, Paris
Curatorial Assistance: Nikola Richolt
Project Management: Andre Odier, Sina Jentzsch

The exhibition is made possible by Freunde der Nationalgalerie.

A special exhibition by the Neue Nationalgalerie – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou