Elie Nadelman (1882-1946)

"Nadelman continued to explore the theme of the person in unusual circumstances in 1916 with Acrobat, a somewhat tubular male figure in bronze sporting the same string tie as the Man in the Open Air. Indeed, the acrobat wears a bodysuit like the earlier figure, and they seem to be related, although Nadelman has activated the surface of the metal with a more irregular modeling of the face and clothing. Like the exile, the acrobat and other circus and vaudeville performers inhabit the margins of mainstream society. But the acrobat represents movement–actually, suspended movement–and the triumph of balance and stability over the power of gravity that is crucial to acrobats, aerialists, and other athletes. It is also paramount to the sculptor. Nadelman identified with athletic performers, and sculpturally they provided a means to introduce movement and verve into his work." (A. Berman, Elie Nadelman: Classical Folk, exhibition catalogue, New York, 2001, pp. 52-53)