Standing Woman 1920

Olexandr Archipenko made this painted construction, "Standing Woman," using wood and paint. Look closely, and you will see that the image is built up of different facets. Archipenko was one of the first artists to explore the possibilities of Cubism in three dimensions. But instead of casting the work in bronze, as a more conventional sculptor might, he used painted wood. This choice emphasizes the constructed nature of the image. He wants us to think about how an image is made, from the ground up, and how we assemble our perceptions of reality. The various blocks are not just "form," they are also raw material that has been brought into a new order. Ultimately, this is what all art does. It recodes the world, and so reminds us that the world is always subject to potential transformation. By focusing on the material and process, we can see beyond the mere representation and consider the possibility of remaking the world around us.