Bird in Space

I don't usually appreciate the sculptures we went through in art history class, but Brancusi's Bird in Space really caught my eyes. It's such a beautiful sculpture!

People debate for a long time whether Bird in Space looks like a bird. For me, it represents the concept of a bird rather than the bird itself. Well, it's abstraction!

The bronze version (the most famous one):

Its marble cousin:

I feel like they're two different kinds of birds!

When Brancusi brought his Bird in Space to the USA, it was taxed because the Customs thought it was in the same category as kitchen utensils but not an artwork. Of course Brancusi was angry. This sculpture was on trial for a while and eventually Brancusi won the case.