Brancusi, the birth of modern sculpture

Located on the banks of Amsterdam's canals, the H'ART Museum is opening its doors for the Brancusi exhibition, The Birth of Modern Culture. Available until 18 January 2026, the exhibition traces the career of this sculptor who created his own style, in a unique setting.

Welcomed by bright, minimalist corridors, then guided into a large room with white curtains before ending in deep darkness within narrower rooms, the Brancusi exhibition, The Birth of Modern Sculpture, traces the artist's life through his various works. Spanning two floors of the museum, 31 works are on display, accompanied by the bases of the sculptures that form an integral part of the works, photographs, films and a painting.

Visitors can then wander through seven themes: light, architecture, movement and animals, all of which have continually enriched the artist's imagination. In a constant quest to return to his roots, Brancusi brought a new perspective to the world of sculpture, echoing the venue hosting these works, the H'ART Museum.

Brancusi, a fresh perspective

“Brancusi touches the inner world,” says Birgit Boelens, exhibition curator at the H’ART Museum. Considered the founding father of modern sculpture, the exhibition traces the journey of this artist who walked from Romania to Paris. Carving directly into the material, simplifying forms and stylising objects, Brancusi fascinated many of his contemporaries. Breaking with convention and seeking to achieve the purest form, the artist pursued a quest: ‘The exhibition traces his quest for the very essence of things. And truly, he captures something very fundamental in this art,’ says Brigit Boelens.

Sculpture, his master craft, is not the only discipline practised by the artist. Photography, dance and music have also been part of his life. Using the art of capturing the present as a way of documenting his works, dance and music are a source of inspiration. Many dancers and choreographers have visited his Paris studio.

A workshop as a source of inspiration

“His studio was his whole life, it was his temple, a work of art among all these works of art,” says Birgit Boelens. Located on Impasse Ronsin in Paris, Brancusi’s studio shaped his work. A true cradle of his imagination, it is the focal point of all his creations. The H'ART Museum, wishing to recapture the essence of the place, has attempted to recreate the atmosphere that emanated from it through the prism of light. ‘A lot of light came through the glass roof... And in this exhibition we also have a lot of light on the sculptures,’ explains Birgit Boelens.

Brancusi placed great importance on light sources, considering them to be ‘pure sources of joy’. With no shadows or hidden light, he displayed his sculptures in their entirety in order to highlight art as he saw it. Inspired by this approach, the museum has attempted to follow this guideline. ‘We have tried to respect this idea and have attempted to exhibit the cultures in a way that we hope he would have wanted,’ comments Birgit Boelens.

An atypical artist in an atypical place

It is no coincidence that Brancusi's works have found their way to the H'ART Museum. Originally belonging to the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the works travelled to Amsterdam due to the renovation of the centre. This exceptional loan has delighted the museum's director: ‘We are very proud that this major five-year exhibition is being held at our museum in Amsterdam,’ says Annabelle Birnie.

Brancusi, part of an innovative tradition, is integral to the museum. Originally, the museum had a partnership with the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. However, following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the museum severed ties and was forced to reinvent itself. Far from traditional social codes, it has instead become a cultural centre. Rather than a permanent collection, anchored to a particular period or theme, it hosts performances, temporary exhibitions and concerts of all kinds. Located on Amstel Street in the former Amstelhof building, it shares the premises with two other museums: the Amsterdam Museum and the Spirit Museum.

Considered a cultural oasis, the museum is seeking new partners. Initially working with the Pompidou Centre, the British Museum in London and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. have been added to the list. In the future, the museum will host exhibitions on Matisse (2026-2027), Surrealism (2027) and Fernand Léger (2028).

The Brancusi exhibition, the birth of modern sculpture, can be discovered on our Museum TV platform.