Untitled 2001

Here we have a room filled with hanging sculptures, made by Jannis Kounellis. The work is process-oriented in that each sculpture is built, each chain constructed, so the piece is literally made by hand. Looking at the material of the sculpture: metal, hard edged. They hang from the ceiling, seemingly floating but tethered. I notice that the metal itself is not pristine, not smoothed or refined, but raw. This rawness speaks to the industrial age, but also to something more primordial. Each individual unit has a sculptural presence but it is the repetition that makes it powerful, the chain effect that dominates the space. It makes me think of Eva Hesse, who also had a fascination with serial forms and unusual materials. Both artists use repetition to create a kind of visual music. It’s like they’re both orchestrating a symphony of shapes and textures, inviting us to listen with our eyes. Art is an ongoing conversation, and these artists are certainly in dialogue with each other, exploring the endless possibilities of form and material.