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Fragments' Beauty: When Broken is Better
29 Sep
Summary
- Fragments focus attention on carved details, offering new perspectives.
- Defaced sculptures held power, serving as deterrents in ancient times.
- Some cultures intentionally broke art to celebrate new beginnings.
An exhibition titled 'Broken: The Power of Fragments' at Florence's Palazzo Strozzi delves into the compelling allure of damaged art.
Co-curated by CD Dickerson and Andrew Sears, the show features over 80 objects, many of which are fragments like the striking lips of Egyptian ruler Akhenaten. These pieces challenge the theory that beauty lies only in completeness, suggesting that imperfections can enhance emotional impact and direct viewer focus to specific artistic details.
The exhibition examines historical instances of deliberate destruction, such as beheading statues during regime changes or religious shifts. It also highlights how fragments, like the dismembered parts of a King Louis XIV monument or Mussolini's bust with a bullet hole, carry potent messages.
Intriguingly, the show also showcases cultures that intentionally broke sculptures, such as ancient Japanese dogū figurines, potentially to celebrate new beginnings and share pieces communally. This challenges contemporary perceptions of ancient societies being solely violent.
From Renaissance artist Michelangelo's deliberate creation of a fragmented torso model to contemporary artists like Louise Bourgeois, the exhibition illustrates a persistent fascination with brokenness. This aesthetic, far from being solely a Romantic obsession, has echoed through centuries, resonating even in modern culture.
