“ART” A Brief Retrospective on the Legal Term


The SciTech Lawyer · Winter 2018 ·by Michelle Pham

What is “art”? This eternal, ever- vexing question became the center of one of the most significant clashes of art and law—the Brancusi v. United States case. Constantin Brancusi is celebrated as one of the most revered and influential sculptors of the 20th century. He made his “name” and rose to the ranks of popularity in the art world by rejecting traditional views of sculpture and, instead, favoring simplified, abstract sculptures that stirred much controversy among those in the art world and in the general public. Bird in Space, the subject of the Brancusi case (which now resides in the Seattle Art Museum), is a 4 1/4-foot-tall piece of highly polished yellow bronze sculpture with a gently tapering bulge.

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About the Author


Michelle Pham
(206) 689-2139
mpham@helsell.com

Michelle is an associate in the firm’s commercial litigation and intellectual property practice groups.