Dimensions: object: 286 x 241 x 184 mm
Copyright: © The Eduardo Paolozzi Foundation | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: Sir Eduardo Paolozzi's "Shattered Head," housed here at the Tate, presents a fragmented portrait. Editor: It's unsettling, almost violent. You can practically feel the rough texture of the material. Curator: Paolozzi often explored the impact of mass media and technology on the human psyche. This piece reflects that. Editor: Right, the broken forms and reconstructed face could symbolize the fractured self in a modern, industrialized world. I wonder, what material did he use? Curator: Understanding Paolozzi's background is essential; his experiences during wartime shaped his artistic vision, leading him to question prevailing ideologies. Editor: Interesting. It certainly challenges our notions of monumentality, doesn't it? Perhaps even commenting on the destruction wrought by industry itself. Curator: A stark reminder of history's impact. Editor: Yes, and how materials themselves can embody those narratives.
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In the late 1950s Paolozzi made a handful of works whose titles indicated some kind of damage. There was 'Wounded Animal', 'Damaged Warrior' and this work 'Shattered Head'. These works were made up from sheets of wax and often had holes or parts missing. At this time Paolozzi was living in London and decided that he wanted to try casting his own small bronzes, of which this is an example. He set up a small foundry in the Hampstead back garden of a friend and cast a few works, using the lost wax method. The bronze master of this was cast in the garden foundry, but an edition of nine was cast by professional founders. Gallery label, September 2004
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