Signals 1970

Takis made these ‘Signals’ sculptures out of metal; they’re like antennae reaching for something we can't quite grasp. I love how he lets the material speak, the matte texture of the metal gives them a grounded, almost industrial feel, but their forms are so open to interpretation. The thin metal rods create a sense of lightness, defying the heaviness of the base. The shapes at the top, almost like abstract symbols, they suggest a kind of language, a coded message being sent out into the world. The way Takis balances industrial materials with poetic forms reminds me of the work of David Smith. Both artists transform raw materials into something that feels both futuristic and ancient. The beauty of art is in this ambiguity, in the way it invites us to project our own meanings onto it.