Ucello X 2

The award-winning Polish sculptress Magdalena Abakanowicz is especially known for her large-scale open-air groups of figures. Since the 1980’s, human or animal-like figures and fragments have characterized her multi-facetted work. Several of her expressive and everchallenging works have already been seen in “Blickachsen” 2005 and 2007. In “Blickachsen 8”, Abakanowicz presents an installation of ten figures in Frankfurt. In the Bad Homburg Kurpark her monumental sculpture “Head” is on display, recalling in its anonymity the monolithic form of a piece of rock or – as the title indicates – a head, the skull of a giant pre-historic bird. On display in the Schlosspark are three huge birds (Ital. bird=uccello), anchored on poles, which seem here to have converged into a swarm flying off towards the Taunus hills. The similarities and differences between these strangely winged bird-like creatures become clear on circling the group. Lying somewhere between nature and technology, they seem to recall a condor, a futuristic aeroplane, or perhaps a humming-bird hovering in space.