Bull 1952

Curator: Here we have Mirko Basaldella's "Bull," a bronze sculpture currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks like a skeletal cage. I sense vulnerability, not the raw power one usually associates with bulls. Curator: Basaldella's work often explores themes of mythology and primitivism. Considering his engagement with the art world in post-war Italy, it's interesting to see how his sculptures reflect anxieties about power. Editor: I see the horns reaching upwards like supplicating hands. The negative space adds to this feeling of fragility. The bull, stripped bare, becomes something else entirely. Curator: It questions the social expectations surrounding masculinity and strength that the image of a bull can represent, particularly after a period of global conflict. Editor: Yes, it is almost as if he has removed the "bull" from the bull. I will never be able to look at this symbol the same way again. Curator: Agreed, a great reminder of the power of art.