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A three video playlist: Rodin's 1898 monument to Balzac--called the first modern sculpture--undermined the centuries-old academic tradition. His contemporaries infused matter with imagination and meaning. They introduced the defining concepts of abstraction, ambiguity, and metamorphosis that laid the foundation for Modernism. A look at central figures in major movements of the early 20th century--Constructivism, Dada, Futurism and Surrealism--and a concise summary of their ideologies and importance. Also included are independent artists of the pre-and post World War II period, who pushed sculpture to new limits of abstraction and possibility, building on their predecessors. After World War II American sculpture came into its own. A large group of highly talented artists emerged, with astonishing work and innovations. America's remote spaces, discarded objects and abundant materials enabled them to add to the concepts of European modernism in unique ways

Originally produced by Michael Blackwood Productions in 2005

Mode of access: World Wide Web