Torse-oiseau (Bird-torso), 1963/64
silver
9 5/8 x 3 1/8 x 3 in. (24.5 x 7.5 x 7.5 cm)
signed and numbered under base: Arp 2/3
Groupe méditerranéan, 1941/1965
bronze with honey-brown patina
30.7 x 36.2 x 19.7 in. (78 x 92 x 50 cm)
cast in an edition of four (0/3) plus one artist proof plus one marble
Artist Bio
Jean (Hans) Arp (1886-1966)
1886
Jean (Hans) Arp was born on September 16, in Strasbourg, France
1904
After leaving the 'Ecole des Arts et Métiers', Strasbourg, he visits Paris and publishes his poetry for the first time
1905-07
Studies at the Weimar 'Akademie der Schönen Künste'.
1908
Moves to Paris and studies at the 'Académie Julian'.
1909
Moves to Switzerland
1911
Founds the group 'Moderner Bund'
1912
Meets Robert and Sonia Delaunay in Paris and Wassily Kandinsky in Munich where he gets involved with the activities of the 'Blauer Reiter' group
1913
Participates at the 'Erster deutscher Herbstsalon' at Der Sturm gallery, Berlin
1914
Returns to Paris and becomes acquainted with Guillaume Apollinaire, Max Jacob, Amadeo Modigliani, and Pablo Picasso
1915
Moves to Zurich, where he executes collages and tapestries, often in collaboration with his future wife Sophie Taeuber whose geometric works influence him
1916
His keen interest in surrealism finally leads him to found the group 'Cabaret Voltaire', together with Hugo Ball, Tristan Tzara, and Richard Hülsenbeck which is to become the center of Dada activities in Zurich. Raoul Hausmann in Berlin, Kurt Schwitters in Hanover, and Max Ernst in Cologne become part of the group. Together they publish texts and poems, illustrate books and magazines.
1917
Develops first wood reliefs, simultaneous poems and automatic poetry. In Dadaism the artist finds an opportunity to create a new art based on the principles of coincidence, automatism and the extension of the unconscious. Arp expresses spontaneity and instinct in biomorphic reliefs (e.g. Plant Hammer) and arbitrarily collated collages. Arp is committed in the Cologne Dada circle and the Paris Dada movement. He works on various publications together with Kurt Schwitters. In April Arp finds his "decisive forms": "At Ascona I drew (…) branches, roots, grass, rocks (…). I simplified these and united their essence in moving oval images of the transformation and the becoming of the body." (Arp). Arp's aim to depict the continuing transformation of nature with its inner characteristics is first conveyed in reliefs and works on paper.
1919
Moves to Cologne and continues his involvement with Dada.
1922
Marries Sophie Taeuber who becomes known as Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Arp participates in the 'Kongress der Konstruktivisten' in Weimar and the 'Exposition Internationale Dada' at Montaigne Gallery in Paris. Soon thereafter, he begins contributing to magazines such as 'Merz', 'Mécano', 'De Stijl', and later to 'La Révolution surréaliste'.
1925
Arp's work appears in the first exhibition of the Surrealist group at the Pierre Gallery, Paris. Together with El Lissitzky, Arp publishes the catalogue "Kunstismen", including the main artistic tendencies from 1914 until 1924.
1926
Settles to Meudon, France
1929
Creates round sculptures, a medium which enables him to depict growth and decay in soft, flowing, convergent masses. Arp, who has always been very interested in philosophy and psychology, achieves a synthesis of Surrealism and Abstraction.
1931
Arp is associated with the Paris-based group 'Abstraction-Création' and the periodical 'Transition'. Throughout the 1930s and until the end of his life, he continues to write and publish poetry and essays.
1939
Out of protest against the Nazis, Arp changes his name from Hans to Jean.
1942
Flees Meudon for Zurich.
1943
Sophie Taeuber-Arp dies unexpectedly, which leads Arp into a long-lasting crisis.
1946
Leaves Switzerland and makes Meudon his primary residence again.
1949
Visits New York on the occasion of his first big solo show at Curt Valentin's Buchholz Gallery. Meets some of his old Dada-friends again.
1950
Invited to execute a relief for the Harvard Graduate Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the course of the 50s, Arp receives numerous large public commissions, such as the design of a monumental relief at the UNESCO building in Paris, or the monumental sculpture "Wolkenhirt" for the University in Caracas.
1954
Arp receives the 'Grand Prize for Sculpture' at the Venice Biennale.
1958
A retrospective of his work is held at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
1959
Marries Marguerite Hagenbach, a long-term friend, collector and supporter of the artist couple. Lives and works in Meudon and Locarno.
1962
Retrospective at the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris
