Hand

As a young girl growing up in Poland, Magdalena Abakanowicz spent a great deal of time outdoors, foraging for twigs and stones in an attempt to understand the mysteries separating her from nature. Her interest in natural materials reflects in her earlier work, through her use of rough, textured materials. In the 1960's, Abakanowicz was one of the first artists to establish the use of traditional fiber techniques as a valid medium in contemporary art. Although she is now known for her powerful, large-scale bronze sculptural installations that also focus on the figure, in Hand, Abakanowicz forcefully tells the viewer that power is not dependent on size. In this piece, jute is tightly wrapped and shaped into a circular form with a hole in the center, resembling a fist.