Capricorn c. 1947 - 1975

Max Ernst made this bronze sculpture called Capricorn, and what I see is the beautiful awkwardness of his forms. There's a wonderful tension between the geometric shapes and the organic ones. Look at the bull's head, so severe and then consider the soft curves of the figure to the right. What’s great is how the textures play off each other, too. You have this roughly worked bronze that still feels really solid, and then right next to it, a more finely textured surface, which adds another layer of complexity. It’s really all about how these different elements come together to create something that feels both familiar and totally strange. There's a playful back-and-forth between representation and abstraction which reminds me of Picabia, who also wasn't afraid to let go of any kind of formal consistency. Ernst isn't trying to give us any easy answers, he’s inviting us to ask questions and explore the possibilities of seeing.