Problems in Sculpture

As a vital expressive force in contemporary culture, sculpture today has apparently fallen short of its promise. The intimation of its revival as a major art early in the nineteen hundreds, after centuries of decorative virtuosity, seems to have aroused a premature hope.The lead was provided by such men as Lipchitz, Zadkine, Lachaise, Zorach, Archipenko, Brancusi, to mention just a few. These are the men whose search and rediscovery of the power and strength of unencumbered sculptural form changed the whole direction of sculptural ideas in the present century. It seems a pity that they spoke only to fellow artists, while leaving the public and its leaders unimpressed. And today, viewing the sculpture seen in exhibitions, I have some doubt in my mind as to how well the younger sculptors have grasped the message of these pioneers in the early 20th century. Nevertheless, sculpture has made very little impact on the public mind.