Shape of Content: Brecht in Bronze [1971]

Shape of Content: Brecht in Bronze [1971]

visual artwork / œuvre d'art visuelle

multiple locations / lieux multiples

1971-01-07 to 1971-02-06 [exhibition, Théâtre Port-Royal, Montreal]; 1971-02 [exhibition, National Arts Centre, Ottawa]; 1986-10-21 to 1986-10-25 [exhibition, Hart House, Toronto]

Kastner, Martin; artist/e

Multiple Brecht works / plusieurs œuvres de Brecht

The series, sculpted by Martin Kastner and inspired by Brecht's works, "consists of 15 bronze masks depicting various characters in Brecht plays, eight groups of two figures each, which illustrate Brecht quotations, and three large abstract pieces which are accompanied by large blowups of the poems they illustrate." (Ottawa Journal, 6 Feb. 1971) Characters portrayed by masks include Mack the Knife, Baal, the Coolie in The Exception and the Rule, Galileo, and Joan of Arc. The bronzes were also exhibited in the St. Lawrence Centre, Toronto, and in the Lincoln Centre, New York City, and then again in 1986 during the Brecht 30 Years After conference in Toronto.

"Bronze Sculpture Exhibition to Accompany Brecht Play." The Ottawa Journal, 6 Feb. 1971, p. 53.
Event notice. La Patrie, 17 Jan. 1971, p. 70.
Hume, Christopher. "Bronze figures unmask artist’s vision of Brecht." Toronto Star, 17 Oct. 1986, p. D21.
"Kastner Synthesizes Sculpture and Plays." The Ottawa Journal, 9 Feb. 1971, p. 20.
Kirkman, Terry and Judy Heviz. "Brecht illustrated in bronze: Kastner sculptures at Port Royal Theatre." The Montreal Star, 20 Jan. 1971, p. 39.
Turcotte, Eileen. "Meet the Kastners: One Man’s (unplanned) Family." The Ottawa Journal, 13 March 1971, p. 43.

Catalog.: Joerg Esleben, University of Ottawa