Barry Flanagan (1941 - 2009)

Spirited and strong, Small Nijinski Hare, 1996, is a dynamic example of Barry Flanagan’s most iconic and recognizable image. First introduced in 1979, the hare has since become synonymous with Flanagan’s practice; he was initially inspired by a creature he saw bounding across the Sussex Downs, a moment which galvanised his transition away from conceptual art towards a figurative aesthetic. Arrested in space, the animated vivacity of Small Nijinski Hare recalls this decisive memory. Flanagan’s hares often take on anthropomorphic characteristics with wit and humour; the present work is modelled after the Polish-born ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, a celebrated member of the Ballet Russes renowned for his gravity-defying leaps. In Small Nijinski Hare, the hare’s sinuous musculature and boundless movement mirror Nijinsky’s own soaring form. Like the dancer, the dramatic pose of Small Nijinski Hare is energetic and full of life, imbuing the hare with a powerful sense of momentum. Indeed, although bronze can be a rigid, static material, Flanagan’s forms are liberated and joyful: they ‘frolic freely and expressively. They don’t symbolise life, they live it’ (P. Levy, quoted in exhibition catalogue, Barry Flanagan: Linear Sculptures in Bronze and Stone Carvings, London, Waddington Galleries, 2004). By bestowing human attributes upon his hares, Flanagan’s sculptures transcend the limitations of the animal kingdom. Expressive and demonstrative, his proxies search for connection and compassion to ultimately represent the human condition in all its variable forms.