Sculpture 1928

Editor: We're looking at Séraphin Soudbinine’s Sculpture from 1928, a ceramic piece currently residing at the Met. The dark, almost austere colors give it a somber mood, yet the birds give a delicate element of freedom. What do you make of its imagery? Curator: The birds perched on what appears to be stylized branches certainly evokes a sense of observation, almost as if they're guardians of this space. Consider the symbolism of birds throughout history—messengers, freedom, the soul. Soudbinine’s choice to depict them in ceramic, a medium of the earth, creates an interesting tension, doesn’t it? Is he grounding the ethereal, perhaps? Editor: Grounding the ethereal, that's an interesting idea! The contrast between the sleek, dark birds and the rough, organic tree is definitely striking. Are there any specific cultural references you see at play here? Curator: Well, think about the prevalence of birds in creation myths, their association with deities across various cultures. The sleekness of the birds could symbolize modernity, while the stylized tree, almost a caricature of nature, might hint at humanity’s attempt to tame and control the organic world. Look at how the branch is worked to show the rings in the tree like wrinkles, or joints in a limb. What might these limbs say about cultural and physical history? Editor: So, the sculpture could be interpreted as a commentary on the relationship between humans and nature, tradition and modernity. It’s fascinating how many layers there are! Curator: Precisely! The emotional weight carried by these familiar images speaks volumes about our cultural memory and how artists, like Soudbinine, tap into that collective consciousness. Editor: I'll definitely think about the symbolism of the birds in art and myths from now on. Curator: And I'll consider how ceramic, often associated with domesticity, elevates those familiar forms into objects of contemplation.