Making of Rodin

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) was a radical sculptor whose unorthodox approach to multiplication, assemblage, industrial production and serial repetition challenged classical sculptural traditions and provided a definitive break in the history of art. Although best known for his bronze and marble sculptures, Rodin's genius was as a modeller, who captured movement, emotion, light and volume in pliable materials such as clay and plaster. Unlike his predecessors, his works include traces of their creation, challenging traditional conceptions of beauty. In line with new thinking on Rodin, this beautifully illustrated book focuses on the artist's use of plaster, a material which enabled him to create sculptures that are never finished, always becoming. United by their whiteness, fragile and experimental pieces will be explored alongside alternative aspects of some of Rodin's signature works. Including an exclusive contribution from sculptor Phyllida Barlow, newly commissioned texts will shed light on Rodin's way of working, the importance of modelling, his use of materiality and sexuality, and the role of photography in his work. For the first time, Rodin will be presented as the father of modern. Exhibition: Tate Modern, London, UK (21.10.2020 - 21.02.2021).