Winged Trunk
Magdalena Abakanowicz
Polish, 1930–2017
1989
A monumental sculpture in wood, burlap, rope, and welded steel that pairs a weathered, bound tree trunk with a broad, wing‑like metal plane to evoke bodily presence, memory, and the tension between nature and industry.
You’re immediately struck by the contrast of the knotted, fibrous log—wrapped in fraying burlap and rope—against the smooth, somber arc of metal rising like a dark wing, a balance of weight and suggestion of flight or absence.
Part of Abakanowicz’s exploration of organic materials and textile techniques, this work broadened late‑20th‑century sculpture by fusing craft and monumental form to confront collective memory, vulnerability, and the traces of the human body.
Medium
Wood, burlap, rope, and welded steel
Dimensions
8' 10 1/4" x 16' 4 7/8" x 39 3/8" (269.9 x 500.1 x 100 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Agnes Gund
Accession
289.1997
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions