Ivan Sabolić
Figure (Madwoman), 1956
bronze
35 × 25 × 70 cm
MG-2440

Ivan Sabolić (1921 – 1986) belongs to the post-war generation of sculptors searching for a way out of the dominant narrative of engaged art of socialist realism. Early on, he started simplifying the symbolic form, but the human figure remains the sculptor's dominant determinant throughout all phases of creativity. He tries to capture the subject's essence in a reduced form in the portrait.
The sculpture Madwoman, despite the smooth and calm surface of the sculpture, the swelling, voluminous deformation of the body shape reveals the internal tension of the subject, which is accentuated by the choice of theme. The reclining, elbowed figure was created in 1956 and reflects Sabolić's aspiration for purity of form and subtle rhythm, while the thematic figure of the Madwoman reveals all the tragedy of human existence.
This depiction of a "madwoman" opposes traditional stereotypes where madness, or various reinterpretations of mental difficulties and problems, was portrayed as a deviant manifestation of deeper emotional states, and the characters of madmen were considered marginalized social subjects. Here, Sabolić uses the figure of a woman subtly and robustly, opening up space for deeper reflection on the role of women and the perception of craziness in society. His "Madwoman" simultaneously shows inner tension and outer calm, exploring the boundaries between normal and abnormal and questioning social norms that define and limit individual identity.

Text: Marta Radman, curator at the National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Marta Radman
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb