Madchen drucht elastische Plastik ein [Girl Pushing Against Elastic Sculpture]
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? DACS 2008

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Madchen drucht elastische Plastik ein [Girl Pushing Against Elastic Sculpture] 1961
  • Artist Rooms
The 'elastic sculpture' could refer to a felt sculpture which takes on the curves of the female figure. However, the woman who pushes against the large mass seems to almost be absorbed into it and overwhelmed by it, as it edges her out of the picture. The collaged element of this work is a diary page, which has been covered with the same Braunkreuz oil paint used for the painting. The inclusion of the page brings an aspect of the everyday to the image.

Glossary Open

Braunkreuz

A medium invented, and first used, by the German artist Joseph Beuys in the late 1950s. It literally translates as `brown cross?. Composed of a mixture of paint and blood, it evokes images of rust, dirt, excrement and blood. As a term it has associations with Christianity, Nazism, National Socialism, war and the occult. By varying the qualities of the component parts, Beuys could experiment with the colour, density and texture of this unusual material.

Collage

An image constructed from found materials, such as photographs, paper or fabric, glued to a surface, sometimes with additional painted or drawn elements. It is an art form particularly associated with Dada and Surrealism.

Braunkreuz, Collage

Details

  • Acc. No. AR00113
  • Medium Oil and collage on paper
  • Size 23.00 x 34.00 cm
  • Credit ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008

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