The sculpture “Cousins” by Dorothea Tanning was created in 1970 and belongs to the Surrealism art movement. It’s a sculptural work, demonstrating Tanning’s unique interpretation of surrealistic ideals through a three-dimensional medium.
The sculpture presents an amalgamation of two forms, wrapped and intertwined with each other, alluding to the concept of connectedness or kinship as implied by the title “Cousins.” The textures seem soft and fabric-like, with contrasting colors of deep black and a warm brown. The forms are elongated and organic, without clear distinctions of any recognizable figures or objects, which invites the viewer to engage their imagination and personal interpretations. The use of materials and the way they are manipulated give the piece a tactile quality that encourages thought about the nature of relationships and the complexity of human interactions, consistent with the often enigmatic and thought-provoking nature of Surrealist art.
