June 21, 2018

Giacometti Comes to the Guggenheim

Alberto Giacometti in 1962. Photo by Paolo Monti. Courtesy of BEIC.

The iconic figures and captivating forms of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti are on display in New York’s Guggenheim Museum through September 12, 2018.

Born at the turn of the 20^th century in the Swiss Alps to Italian parents, Alberto Giacometti came up along fellow artists Picasso, Balthus, and Max Ernst, among others. Like many Surrealists, Giacometti’s pieces were inspired in reaction to the chaos and violence of the World Wars. As his career progressed, he transitioned from Surrealism to a more representational style, while retaining an air of Surrealist influence. His subjects are stretched and elongated, possessing spindly limbs and distorted features, embodying themes of introspection, anxiety, and existentialism.

Housed in the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed museum, a selection of Giacometti’s sculptures are available for public viewing, sponsored by Lavazza and Northern Trust.

– Joe Powers

Alberto Giacometti. "Woman of Venice VII", 1956. Bronze. Art Gallery of New South Wales. Image courtesy of: Wikimedia user Wmpearl. — Alberto Giacometti. “Woman of Venice VII”, 1956. Bronze. Art Gallery of New South Wales. Image courtesy of: Wikimedia user Wmpearl.