Constructed Head no. 1, 1915

About the Work

A sculpture without mass? Gabo's idea of allowing volume to be created purely by intersecting areas suspended a centuries-old tradition. When the First World War broke out, the Russian Constructivist sought refuge in Kristiania, present-day Oslo, where, with this female bust, he created the pioneering construction principle for his later work. Gabo understood depth as the only form of space. Light and shade should not simply stay on the surface, but penetrate the interior and become part of the sculpture. After Gabo's death in 1977 the 'Constructive Head No. 1' was found in his studio, wrapped in newspaper.