The Old Dog Thinks: You'll Loose Your Head Over This Sculpture!

in travel •  7 years ago  (edited)

  For three months in 2002 twelve enormous bronze statues by the renowned Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj ( 1944-2014) graced the streets of Lugano. How happy we are that a local bank purchased one of them as a gift to the city and it continues to bring playful joy to residents and tourists alike!  This sculpture is so big and tactile that it just beckons you to approach it and explore it. Even from the inside!


This huge sculpture invites you to draw close and examine it. I took some tourists to check it out a few weeks ago!



I think that I managed to get inside Eros's head! Maybe only this way will I understand why he is covered in bandages!



Tourists will be tourists and kids will be kids. My tourist friends had Lots of fun!


Eros Bendato  

 This somewhat eerie bandaged and severed head is called Eros Bendato which translates as Eros Bound. The sculpture depicts a fragment of an ancient monument to Eros, the Greek god of love and desire. There are different ideas as to the meaning behind the bandages that surround the statues eyes and mouth. Some explain that love is blind while others feel that desires and ideas have been imprisoned.    

Eros Bendato Around The World      

One of the really cool things about this piece of gigantic art is that variations of it can be found all over the world! here I present some of them:



Eros Bendato in Vancouver, Canada. Similar yet so different! Do you like all of the cracks? I do! Photo Credit



Eros Bendato Krakow, Poland. This one seems to be identical to the one that graces Lugano! Photo credit.



Eros Bendato St. Louis ,Missouri U.S.A. Photo credit.



Another one in Rome! Photo credit


Would You Like to See Other Sculptures by This Artist?

If you would like to explore more of the work of Igor Mitoraj here are 185 of his best works! 

They are both weird and wonderful!


What do You Think of This Sculpture by Igor Mitoraj?

  • Do you find it fascinating, beautiful or eerie?
  • Would you like to climb inside of it?
  • Would it make you lose your head?


I hope that you enjoyed this article about Eros Bendati by Igor Mitoraj!


Until next time,


@kus-knee (The Old Dog)


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Great post!

I feel like I could write an entire dissertation strictly dedicated to this head, it is so inspiring... I surely would love to climb inside its head too, just like you did, and probably not alone either. ;)

Love offer both the blindness as long as we aren't yet aware of its different faces... On the long run, so to speak as time goes by, one realizes that with love comes pains for which one can't run away from. It is a law. At first, the young love believes blind-foldedly that it is all bright, shinning and easy, floating on cloud nine, how could one not believe so... But, through experiencing love, we sure loose our heads while unaware in the fires of our youth but we also may loose our head fully aware of the fact that love comes with the price of pains. Pains that we would rather endure than not experiencing love. As we say in French, "Ça vaut la peine!"Meaning that it is worth all the pains that one experiences in order to have this specific experience. It is in some ways a more radical version of the english saying "It is worth it!".

As you underlined, the weathered and cracked version appeals to me too, an awful lot! I'm kind of glad to know that it is found in my neighbourhood!

Thanks again for a golden opportunity to share and learn, namaste :)

Thanks so much for your comment! You out so much into them and I get so much out of them! I believe that your love, the one that you so eloquently detailed in your last post is in the bright shiny and easy stage! May it always be so.

You will surely enjoy seeing this fabulous piece the next time you venture to it. Only in Canada could Vancouver be described as in the neighbourhood of Vancouver Island!

Blessings to you @eric-boucher!

The love I have underlined would in deed fall under the bright light shiny diamond alright, but its polish varies on the angles light comes forth with and surely offers time for healthy challenges which strengthens us all. Thank you for the kind words again and yes, you are right, "Only in Canada could Vancouver be described as in the neighbourhood of Vancouver Island!".

I'm not sure I follow you on the second sentence though, there seems to be a word missing or something like my understanding?!? LOL!!!

Namaste :)

hmm you are right...

Haha this made me laugh. I didn't react at first until i zoomed in and saw your head in the eye of the sculpture. Some say the sky is blue because we live in the eyes of a blue eyed giant. I can't tell the color of the eyes but I think looking out from them would be cool.

I would also like to climb into this head. I love the fact that this sculpture is present all over the world in different countries. Could be a bucket list to travel to all of them and check the inside of their heads and compare which ones perspective you agree with the most.

Very nice funny post - I enjoyed it !

Great comment and I like your bucket list idea!

My pleasure :)

Amazing...I would definitely plan to see the one in Rome.... thanks for The great Info...

Maybe we could go together once!

get into Eros' head huh!
you haven't aged!
no I don't find it eerie
quite huge though - and seems to have given you guys FUN!
he has done a great job on that part !

Yes lots of fun and a piece that begs you to explore it. The surface also has a hatch work texture which I failed to show here!

shhhh.. we didn't notice :D

I already lost my head thinking about this crazy work of art.

Funny as always my friend!

Whaaaat! Knowing that the same well known sculputre in Lugano as some copies around the world is a great surprise! It's a sculpture that usally catch people of every age interest! I always liked it but I never looked for who made it! So thanks for this informations!

You know what? I didn't know that there were other similar sculptures either until I started writing the article! I love his work and I'd like to see his exhibit in Rome one day!

really cool art
i like it.
@kus-knee thanks

It really is!

It is looking like mummies,haha. Those ribbons rolled over their face.

Yes you are right!



Sorry, this immediately jumped in my head when I read your post.

And yes, I like the one in Vancouver better, the one with cracks. No, I don't know why, remember, "I don't want to use my head"

Classic! I watched that with my son 5,000 times!

That is some heady art!

hahaha good one!

Hello @kus-knee, much appreciations for the artist who made these sulpture, impressed from your this kind of unique article, keep it up,
FOLLOW

Thanks so much @rabeel!

Very interesting! I will definitely visit the one in Vancouver. Also will try to ride inside the head if allowed.

Yes go for a ride! Once inside see if you can discover what he is thinking about! :) Then report back to us here on Steemit!

Title: Eros Bendato Scrippolato
Artist: Igor Mitoraj – Poland/Italy
Location: Yaletown Park

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2010/03/vancouver-public-art-the-giant-head-at-yaletown-park/

I will do it dear brother.

Wow ! That's quite the sculpture ! I love it my friend , gives a whole new meaning to "Getting in someones head !" haha ! Love may also be fractured ... Thanks for sharing , looks like you and your friends had a great time ! 😍👌😁

It does give it new meaning. Maybe one day you'll see the one in Van! Thanks for your always clever comment!

You know I have done mobile security work all over Vancouver years ago but I have never seen it !! I lived for years in Coquitlam and spent a lot of in Vancouver working at different job sites as well ! Its strange , I will have to find out where it is !! 💕✌👍💕✌👍

Wow! Those are amazing!! Now I want to see at least one of them!!! It does seem to draw you in hehehe.. Thank you for sharing! Upvoted and resteemed!

Since they are placed in many countries you'll probably get a chance to see one!

That would be cool!

Oh... Thanks for all the details.
Non sapevo che ce ne fossero altri in giro per il mondo :-)
Now it's time for Steemitri Bendato, haha.

I didn't know either until I researched for the article. A Steemitri Bendato could be a big hit!

Great and funny post. I love seeing you peeking from the inside through the sculpture*s eye. What a great place to take the children to explore from the inside out. Then, for them to read and learn more about this and other sculptures.

It would be a great place to take kids. I'm so glad that I know now what your avatar is!

Oh, only the "elite inner circle" knows. LOL!

I'm so relieved that it's not a hairy chin!

You are not the only one. HaHa!

Great idea and good art. It looks like a lot of fun to be in. I would fear vandalism if not monitored and a great place for a sniper maybe. Hopefully not. It is cool!!!

Yes, I thought about vandalism too! These days there are cameras everywhere but then again Lugano is a very small, clean and safe city.

Bellissimo questo post! Ho visto da poco una sua statua nella bella piazza antica di Lucca dell'anfiteatro.. Devo dire che ha una capacità unica di inserire le sue moderne visioni in contesti antichi e storici..Mi piace tantissimo...

Yes I agree. I would love to see the one in Lucca. It has been many years since I've visited that city!

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haha you were right i loose my mind like it :D pretty awesome that was

Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most!

I like this way of making art, its a bit of statement and art which could be touched. Many people will have their thought and make funny pics with such a head. And sure; I would like to see if there are brains left inside :-) .........

I'm glad that you like it and you wouldn't resist going inside. Are there brains......maybe!

For sure there will be brains if WE look inside ;-)

wow that is a fantastic piece of art work. Perfect thing for photographers,
Thank you for the information. Lovely post
Cheers!

You're right about it being perfect for photographers!

Very cool, can visit the place. We can play hide and seek inside the head. Ha ha ha. @kus-knee

Yes it would be great for hide and seek!

You have the talent to find interesting things and places in this world)))) Very interesting sculpture)))) And yes ... I lost my head))) I've never seen a big head))))

Thanks so much for the visit. I attribute my ability of funding things to Steemit because eversince I started blogging I'm a lot more curious!

Cool post! I love weird statues and sculptures. The funniest thing is when people go in this head and play peek-a-boo! You can feel as a child there!

In Székesfehérvár, there is a life-size bronze statue of a peasant woman, who sold roast geese long time ago at the local market. Everyone knew her as Kati néni (aunt Kati), and she was famous of her kind heart. Kati néni's nose is always shining, because people rub it to bring fortune.

Your story about Kati is very interesting! It's amazing that a simple person was so well loved that they made a statue of her!

Ahahaaa great photos! They made my day))) I would make the same picture if i were there)

I already saw this sculpture in Poland, Krakov city. It looks awesome)

Wow, you saw the one in Poland! Very interesting!

Yep! If i will find this photo on my laptop i will show you))

Hehe. Nice one. Shared with my followers :-)

Thanks a bunch!

Haha, cool sculpture! I really like art that encourages you to be "hands-on" and interact with it, much more so than art that you're supposed to just look at. I'll have to keep an eye out for this sculpture since there seem to be many of them located around the world.

Yes it is nice to have hands on pieces!

wow great work
what a sight to behold
He sure has a great taste for sculpture

I agree!

Congratulations @kus-knee!
Your post was mentioned in the hit parade in the following category:

  • Comments - Ranked 5 with 119 comments

Thanks!

Great post and I enjoyed these pictures!

Thanks so much!

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

One of these landed on the front lawn of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The $1M price tag seemed a bit bloated. I didn't know there were 12 of them! Thanks for sharing.

Some photos: https://souvenirchronicles.blogspot.com/2016/03/minneapolis-institute-of-art.html

Thanks for sharing that article. I wasn't able to find the total number of them either but it seems, as you write that it is 12.

$1M is a lot but keep in mind that the bronze alone comes in at around 120 per kilo and so that's around $100,000 just in material. Then there is the artists work, the foundry costs, the shipping etc.. $1M isn't what it used it be. Heck, with the new SMT announcement I might even become a Steemit millionaire! :)

Great job, my friend @kus-knee ! I love sculptures very much! She's a little creepy! I would be afraid to be alone next to her in the dark :)

I cant blame you for that!

I've never seen such a statue! It turns out she is so famous! You know how to find interesting things!
Photo For you @kus-knee from Lviv :)

Thank you for the post.. very nice. I see that your friends had fun... Making a selfie is difficult I think ;-)

Yes a selfie would be tough!

I thought it is photoshopped into the different locations. :-)
I like the sculpture and the spreading across the countries. Always nice to go in something and shoot a funny photo.

I know what you mean about the photoshopping! It is so cool to see that these are in many locations!

@kus-knee - Sir, this is the first time I see something like this. 'Sculpture' heads made a perfect architecture out there Sir. Love it & nice you decided to share it Sir <3

+W+ [UpVoted & ReSteemed]

Thanks so much for the visit and the share!

Wow, that is a fascinating and amazing statue head thing.

I hope it comes to Scotland. It reminds me of those type of fantasy/history films where the camera pans over the ruins of a civilisation

In fact all of his works have that feel! I will explore his work some more!

I think I will have a look too!

Hi @kus-knee! These installations are fantastic! Reminiscent of ancient Greek art, for sure. It would be fun to crawl inside with a friend, and shine lights through the eye spaces! The photo would be epic.

I like your idea about shining lights through the eyes!

I found it really fascinating mate! If I saw one I will surely do the same and get inside just as a curious and for fun too.
I am just wondering why it is not put straight/vertical!? There must be a reason for sure.

Easier to climb inside?

Yeah this makes absolute sense.

Nice post man
it looks lovely....//////

Thanks!

Absolutely fascinated!

It is really nice and BIG!

Lol... that made my morning seeing you sticking your head out the eye :0) Thanks @kus-knee

If you come to Lugano you'll probably do it too!

Well if I go to Lugano, now I know what to look for :0)

Haha very cool. It makes me eerie.
I would def go in, hide and scare some folks

That sounds like fun!

it gives me a strange feeling to just see laying a head there haha! yes i'd love to see more of him :)

Yes strange and bizarre but it captures your attention!

Interesting sculpture located in different places.
Don't think it was in STL when i visited several years ago. Some people will lose their head enough to dig his nose😎

Yes we all did some digging!

Less work for the cleaners :-)

Great post Master of Bones - i like that Art, never seen in reality.

Do you find it fascinating, beautiful or eerie? Yes - love it

Would you like to climb inside of it? Oh yeah - hope my bones will enable me but i will try

Would it make you lose your head? Kind of yeah

Hey @uwelang I see from your last post that you are an artist yourself!

Haha - yes - an art diamond that looks for discovery :-)

Looks awesome, I would love to climb inside of it!!

It's too hard to resist!

Gotta love big giants heads laying around!
Especially when you can get inside them......

hehe nice photos too ;-)>

He leaves other body parts in other places!

Oh really?

great art....wonderful photo collect,thanks for sharing

Thanks so much for coming!

Very cool, can visit the place. We can play hide and seek inside the head. Ha ha ha. @kus-knee

Sounds like fun!

Haha.. Yah

Very large sculpture itself. And beautiful.

Yes the size is impressive!

The cracked version looks the best imo. Although the colour is a bit less compared to the others. It's for sure a "typical" piece of art ^^

I also find the cracked one to be fascinating!

great one dude upvoted <3

I appreciate your visit!

@kus-knee,
Wow it's an incredible sculpture! Amazing work and thanks for sharing such wonderful experience!

Cheers~

Yes it really is incredible!

cool dude

Thanks!

nice pos, i have your chat in steemitchat :)

3rd pic $_$

You like it best?

Yes it is nice to have hands on pieces!

No doubt. It draws you in, literally and makes you explore!

wonderful art...lovely post...

Thanks a lot!

really cool art
i like it
I also have some beautiful art, can you see my posts

Glad that you like it!

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

Beautiful work by Igor Mitoraj. Regards!

Yes he did some fabulous work!

Nice to see this beautiful sculpture. Love it.

I like your work

Thanks so much!

Great post.
I feel like I could write an entire dissertation strictly dedicated to this head, it is so inspiring thanks for sharing.

Thanks for having a look.

Well, the fact that he had lost his head from love - no doubt about it. But I see no bandages on the eyes! On the contrary, she fell from her eyes. Perhaps it says that love opens a different vision. And we see the world from a new perspective, the perspective of love. Because a man in love the whole world is watching with love. Perhaps it is love that opens our eyes to the meaning of life. Opens to new life.

It is awesome that people are allowed to crawl inside! What a great picture.👍🏻

Great post
bravo meme.gif

Amazing...I would definitely plan to see the one in Rome.... thanks for The great Info...

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