"Bird in Space" by Constantin Brancusi

When I first saw this piece I thought it was a flame, then, I realized from the title that it is a bird. While "Bird in Space" does have a vague pointed beak at its top, and a slight indent at the bottom section to indicate some sort of feet, the piece does not actually look like a bird. Instead, "Bird in Space" represents the idea of flight, and, in my opinion, freedom. Motion is evident in the sculpture because it invites the eye to soar upward along the lines of the sculpture. The highly polished, reflective bronze of the bird, or, more accurately, the flight, creates movement on its surface because light constantly is bouncing off of it and moving as the viewer moves. The highly polished surfaces of "Bird in Space", while common in Brancusi's work, is rarely seen with other sculptors. Brancusi frequently employs a hierarchy of material in his work. He often begins with wood and works his way up to bronze. A hierarchy of material is evident in this piece as well. The bases of Brancusi's work, if included, are always part of the piece itself. Brancusi strove to create simple forms. Brancusi was a revolutionary sculptor. He made the transition from realism to abstraction in sculpture. Part of his transition process was using oblong shapes to represent organic forms. Simplicity allowed Brancusi to capture the essence of flight in "Bird in Space". He captures the essence of being a bird. I think of freedom when I see this piece, not only because birds traditionally represent freedom, but also because I originally thought it was a flame. Flames are free. Flames create fires that can become powerful and both destroy and renew life. When people try to contain a large fire, they often fail. The motion of the soaring figure in Brancusi's "Bird in Space" creates the illusion of a flame, or the illusion of flight. It truly inspires awe and has become a symbol of modern art.
P.S. This sculpture was so unusual for the time it was created (1928), that when it was brought to the United States for a show at the Modern Museum of Art in New York, customs agents believed it was a hunk of metal to be used for some sort of industrial purpose, and, therefore, tried to tax it (artwork is not taxable). Apparently, the customs officials theorized that it was some sort of propeller. Brancusi had to go to court to defend his artwork.