Who Was Constantin Brancusi? The Making of a Cultural Icon | Alexandra Croitoru Lecture

Film

Who was Constantin Brancusi beyond the artist we know today?

Brancusi (1876–1957) is regarded as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. After beginning with traditional academic training in Romania, he developed his own distinctive style in Paris from 1907 onwards. His organic forms, reduced to their essence, established him as a pioneer of sculptural abstraction in the early 20th century. Brancusi’s continuous search for an artistic ideal is reflected in the formal variations of a few central motifs and his playful use of different materials and surfaces. He masterfully employed pedestals, light, movement, as well as photography and film to stage his sculptures. In this lecture, artist and curator Alexandra Croitoru explores how Brancusi became one of Romania's most influential cultural symbols. From a controversial avant garde sculptor to a national icon, she traces the making of the Brancusi myth and examines how art, identity, and politics have shaped his legacy across generations.

The lecture was presented as part of the public program accompanying our Brancusi exhibition. In collaboration with Centre Pompidou and supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute "Titu Maiorescu" Berlin and the Freunde der Nationalgalerie.