Hear the Curator (PP618)

Like other works by Richard Serra, which demand interaction and reflection, this sculpture must be understood not only by viewing it but also by walking through it to catch different glimpses of sky and light and experience new spatial sensations. As you pace between its walls, you become a participant in the art; the artwork, in turn, directly challenges its surroundings. Composed of sinuous bands of rusted steel, the work eliminates any decoration or specific references that could lessen the intensity of the encounter.

The title of the sculpture is The Hedgehog and the Fox, which refers to an essay by Isaiah Berlin, who quotes from the Greek poet Archilo­chus: “The fox knows many things but the hedgehog knows one great thing.” As the artist explained, “It points to how scholars either become free thinkers and invent [--] or become subjugated to the dictates of history. This is the classical problem posed to every student.”