Untitled (Hand Circle)

Location: National Galleries of Scotland.

In a number of his works, Nauman introduced the viewer to the main tool he used to create art – his hands. Initially, the artist used casts of his body in parallel with the series of “puns,” but the hands in this sculpture are self-sufficient – they speak for themselves. At the same time, gestures are open to interpretation: for example, they can be a sign language. The sculptor addressed this topic constantly – fifteen pairs of Bruce Nauman’s hands in different gesture positions occupied a large hall at an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington in 2010.