Braco Dimitrijevic

Louvre (‘J.M.W. Turner’ ‘Edward Rampton’)

1975–9

In Tate Britain

Artist
Braco Dimitrijevic born 1948
Medium
Bronze and marble
Dimensions
Object: 1870 × 330 × 350 mm
object: 1860 × 330 × 350 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Purchased 1983
Reference
T03685

Display caption

In this series of works Dimitrijevic brings together portrait busts of well-known artists with those of random members of the public. By celebrating these unknown individuals as if they were notable public figures, he invites the viewer to reflect on the arbitrary nature of fame. His works also question the role of sculptural forms such as the commemorative bust, which are used to elevate and promote certain individuals. This series also relates to a story by Dimitrijevic, in which one artist becomes famous by chance, while another is forgotten.

Braco Dimitrijevic was born in Sarajevo in 1948. He lives and works in Paris.

Gallery label, August 2004

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Catalogue entry

T03685 Louvre (‘J.M.W. Turner’ ‘Edward Rampton’) 1975–9

Two bronze busts, each on integral pedestal in green marble ‘J.M.W. Turner 75 5/8 × 13 × 3/4 (1870 × 330 × 350) and ‘Edward Rampton’ 73 1/8 × 13 × 13 3/4 (1860 × 330 × 350)
‘J.M.W. Turner’ inscribed ‘JMW/TURNER’ on front of base and ‘Edward Rampton’ inscribed ‘EDWARD/RAMPTON’ in front of base
Purchased from Waddington Galleries (Grant-in-Aid) 1983
Exh: Braco Dimitrijevic, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, May–June 1979 (not numbered, repr.); Braco Dimitrijevic, Kunsthalle, Tübingen, 1–30 September 1979 (not numbered, repr.); New Art at the Tate Gallery 1983, September–October 1983 (listed p.67); Forty Years of Modern Art 1945–1985, Tate Gallery, February–April 1986 (not in catalogue)
Lit: Braco Dimitrijevic, Tractatus Post Historicus, Tübingen, 1976; David Brown, Braco Dimitrijevic, Triptychos Post Historicus, exhibition leaflet, Tate Gallery, September 1985 (n.p.)

See entry on Dimitrijevic T03686

Published in:
The Tate Gallery 1982-84: Illustrated Catalogue of Acquisitions, London 1986

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