Who is Katarzyna Kobro? Google Doodle honors innovative Polish sculptor on her 124th birthday
Temporary theme changes are often made to the logo of the globally-trusted search engine Google. This is usually done to celebrate special occasions, honor memories, or those with great cultural significance. Earlier this year, we saw a special Golden Girl's themed logo display in honor of Betty White.
On January 26, what would have been Katarzyna Kobro's 124th birthday, Google Doodle made her the subject. Polish sculptor Kobro was a prominent figure in the constructivism movement. This branch of art is known to be a sub-genre of the avant-garde of the modern industrial world.
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Typically, such constructivist pieces are known for being austere and are generally focused on geometric patterns and forms. Google honored this legend as they believe her to be "an intellect who shaped the art world".
Who was Katarzyna Kobro?
Kobro was born on January 26 in 1898. She developed an interest in cultural art forms and was enrolled in the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture in 1917. During her time as a voluntary nurse, she crossed paths with several like-minded people who were also interested in the Russian art world. In 1920, Kobro created her first sculpture which was a fusion of shapes that were made of a combination of materials like metal, wood, glass, etc. She married renowned painter Władysław Strzemiński and attained Polish citizenship. Between 1925 and 1933, she created marvelous masterpieces called Spatial Compositions and other abstract sculptures.
In 1931, she co-wrote a book with her husband called 'Composition of Space: Calculations of Space-Time Rhythm'. In this book, she shared her views on art and how she wishes art would become more connected to modern science.
She died in February 1951. Most of her work was lost when she and her husband had to flee Poland due to the Nazi occupation. Many art historians have spent the latter half of the twentieth century restoring and reproducing her work. The originals are on display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Google wrote, "Her utilitarian and geometric sculptures explored the relationship between expression and the infinitude of space, carving out Kobro’s place as a leading innovator of early 20th century Central European abstract art."