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THE PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE AMERICAN COLLECTION

RETRACTILE

RETRACTILE

81 by 81 by 9 cm.

signed and dated 62

white painted plywood and electric motor

PROVENANCE

Galerie m, Bochum, 1973
Galerie Denise Reneé-Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf, 1983

EXHIBITED

Paris, Galerie Iris Clert, Pol Bury, 1962
New York, Galerie Lefebre, Pol Bury, New York 1964
Paris, Galerie La Hune, Pol Bury, 1966
Paris, Galerie Maeght, Pol Bury, 1967

NOTE

As a young artist, born in Belgium and educated in France, Pol Bury emphasizes movement as an essential element of sculpture stressing that his works are not complete until they are set into motion. The wall sculpture Retractile consists of a textured wooden square with protruding bunches of tendinous tentacles that are powered by a hidden motor. The motion however is hardly noticeable and the tentacles each have their own separate curve of movement. Although it tends to give the idea there's always something happening, on the places where something just happened it doesn't seem to happen anymore. This way one doesn't know where to look because of the double and triple images, appearances and disappearances. The element of surprise and chance is a legacy of the Surrealist movement. In 1964 Bury puts his so-called 'Cinétisation', which means nothing more than: "starting to move", for the first time into practice. It became his favourite occupational inspiration. Bury, together with Tinguely, Takis, Soto and Agam, dissociated himself from any previous art concepts in an attempt to avoid any confusion for example with Optical Art. By intruding on the realm of actual movement in his own particular way, Bury has introduced a new perspective into the poetry of forms. Matter springs to life!