Leaves and navels I
1930Painted wood (101x81 cm)
Museum of Modern Art, New York
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A work characterized by stillness, interrupted by small circular shapes. The shapes are arranged without logical order but respecting a simple harmonic order.
The evocative potential is very strong: leaves floating in the wind or drops of condensation on the glass.
Generally, Arp's works are characterized by matchmaker shapes inspired by even the most elementary organic silhouettes.
Arp was an eminent exponent of various movements of the twentieth century, especially of the explosive Dada. It was easy enough to meet Arp during the tumultuous events held at the Café Voltaire in Zurich.
The cornerstone of his art was the search for spontaneity and elementarity. After much elaborate and intellectual activity, even art needed to shake off the weight of seriousness.
A multifaceted artist, he devoted himself to poetry, collage, reliefs on wood, automatic writing and sculpture. All these activities, however, will be abandoned from 1930 onwards, when Arp decided to devote himself only to sculpture.
Comparing artists: Cornell, Hepworth, Mondrian, Schwitters
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