Romeu, 2010
2010
Wax, epoxy, iron, wool, cotton, wood
82.5 x 77.6 x 153.8 cm (32 1/2 x 30 9/16 x 60 9/16 in.)
Berlinde de Bruyckere's sculpture Romeu engages the viewer in a unique, radical experience. This damaged, mutilated, tortured, headless and anonymous body, entirely offered to our sight, beckons us to think deeply about our humanity and the fate of our flesh. Romeu exemplifies the artist's raw depictions of suffering that she began creating in the 1990s.
The flesh and veins and the roughness of the wax body look incredibly realistic. This work recalls certain 17th-century Spanish religious sculptures where morbidity and compassion go hand-in-hand. It also brings to mind the series of eponymous drawings using the contemporary Portuguese dancer Romeu Runa as a model.
A raw sculpture, Romeu is one of the most powerful works by Berlinde de Bruyckere, a leading figure on the contemporary scene. It is in the Pinault Collection and was on display for the first time during the "Debout !" ("Stand Up!") show at the Couvent des Jacobins in Rennes.
The flesh and veins and the roughness of the wax body look incredibly realistic. This work recalls certain 17th-century Spanish religious sculptures where morbidity and compassion go hand-in-hand. It also brings to mind the series of eponymous drawings using the contemporary Portuguese dancer Romeu Runa as a model.
A raw sculpture, Romeu is one of the most powerful works by Berlinde de Bruyckere, a leading figure on the contemporary scene. It is in the Pinault Collection and was on display for the first time during the "Debout !" ("Stand Up!") show at the Couvent des Jacobins in Rennes.
Exhibitions
Photo: Stefan Altenburger
© Photo JF Molliere
Exhibition view, Debout!, Rennes, Couvent des Jacobins, June 23 - September 9 2018.