Barbara Hepworth's 'Biolith', 1948-49

Reconsiders a large-scale blue limestone carving entitled "Biolith" by the British sculptor Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975), now prominently displayed at the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA. Suggests that the sculpture's combination of abstract and figurative elements should...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Burlington magazine 2006-12, Vol.148 (1245), p.841-842
Main Author: Curtis, Penelope
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abstract art
Art exhibitions
Carving
Perianths
Sculpture
Shorter Notices
Visual arts
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Reconsiders a large-scale blue limestone carving entitled "Biolith" by the British sculptor Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975), now prominently displayed at the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA. Suggests that the sculpture's combination of abstract and figurative elements should be seen in the context of Hepworth's part in reconstructive efforts in the UK after World War II, her attitude towards the emergence of a modern version of public art at this time, her war experiences, and her disintegrating private life in the late-1940s. Rather than displaying an unintentional ambiguity, the forms and titles of Hepworth's work at this period indicate that duality had become a subject of her art.
ISSN:0007-6287