Anthony Caro Six Decades

Galerie Max Hetzler - Berlin

Through October 29, 2022

“Anthony Caro Six Decades” serves as a retrospective on what sculpture is - or was. This is an exhibit of sculpture that exists for its own sake - unattached to the narratives and messaging that many of today's artists have taken on. Regardless, these pieces have a modern and relevant feel. The sculptures occupy the same floor space as the viewer. Except for one piece, the work is not elevated on a pedestal, which would distance the sculptures from the viewer. Even though some of the pieces are larger-than-human, the shared floor space makes the scale of the work relatable, and allows the viewer to fully explore and critique the work.

Caro started his career as an assistant to Henry Moore and came to the U.S. in 1959, when he was influenced by sculptor David Smith and painters Kenneth Nolan and Helen Frankenthaler. He then started working with steel beams, plates, rods and tubes, experimenting with a variety of finishes including paint, controlled rusts. He was a pioneer in asserting that abstract form is indeed as “real” as figurative-inspired sculpture. That belief spread and changed the profile of  public sculpture.

Even though he primarily worked in steel, Caro's sculptures reflect a fluid quality, and attest to his spirit of exploration, experimentation and chance-taking.