Featured ALBERT VRANA Mid 20th c GIANT Modernist Sculptor - Reg Size Sculpture?

I bought this at a estate sale today for $160 - I knew it was a mid century "modernist" or possibly a "cubism" sculpture.
When I got it home I found the artist was Albert Vrana - known for his huge sculptures on government & private company buildings (according to Wikipedia):
Albert Vrana (1921-1994)[1][2] was an American sculptor who is best known for his mid-twentieth century monumental architectural sculpturesdone in the Modernist style, using novel materials, such as ferrocement, and new techniques, such as sand castingusing plastic Styrofoam molds to shape sculptural concrete panels and metal sculptures
His sculptural forms are integrated with the shape of the built environment where they were to be set,[7] such as residential complexes, government office parks, university campuses, etc.

Although many of his pieces were Modernist, he considered his approach to be traditional; much of his work was “integrated as part of the structure and related to the specific building in both design and materials, in harmony, not conflict, with the architecture”.[7] This approach has had resonance with the current interest in creating, producing and installing site specific art.

I actually know of a lot of his work here in Miami!

The piece I bought looks like a Big statue with people standing around it contemplating it. Are there other "normal" size sculptures done by him - I can't find any!

Any thoughts?

I'm pretty sure it isn't cubist; any thoughts on what I can call it in a listing besides modernist?
Thank you all as always

 

OMG, LOVE this !!! I wonder if this was done as a proposal for a larger piece? I have a bronze by Helge Holmskov who also did this one as a larger outdoor piece. I dont see why you couldnt call it brutalist ?

 

What a wonderful find! There are family members listed as contacts here. Very likely they'd be interested in hearing from you and helpful in answering your questions.

http://albertvrana.com/bio.html

Debora

 

Very cool find! The little people are the best part!!

 

Wonderful piece!

 

Gulliver?

 

Not as cool as yours.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/43570082_stone-and-bronze-ritual-sculpture-by-albert-vrana

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/albert-vrana-brutalist-mid-century-1878605545

 

Great find, journey!
My first thought was Gulliver too, although I like the thought of people admiring a huge sculpture. That reclining pose is reminiscent of Henry Moore.
It is Modernist, the style is also referred to as Semi-Abstract. I would also throw in Monumental Architectural, a term often used for this kind of work. As johnny said, it looks like it could have been a proposal for a larger piece.

It is nicely worked, and smooth, so not Brutalist.The term Brutalist is from the French 'brut', which means rough or raw. The material in this sculpture isn't rough, and hasn't a 'left as found' look, so not Brutalist.
The sculpture s-i-s posted is referred to as Brutalist because it looks like he found sheets of metal and just stood them upright. He didn't, of course, it was carefully designed, it is the look.

 

Debora,
I did as you suggested & his daughter answered me almost immediately - She is going to check her dad's files to see if she can find anything about my sculpture!

Her reply:
Charlie - glad to hear from you! I saw the Ebay post & shared it w/ my FB friends! Much of Dad’s work included observers & monuments - not specific to his architectural installations, but certainly as general studies & illustrations of scale. I will look thru the files I have for any information relative to your bronze sculpture & get back to you in a few days. Do you have a family name of estate/previous owner?
Thanks - Sue Vrana B___

 

How exciting is that?

Debora

 

Let's hope it's a diamond in the rough !!!!

 

That is great, so nice of her. Will you keep us posted?

 

Of course

 

Very cool! What a great find!

 

Sold it today from Craigslist for $1,000. I know it was probably worth more with artist being well known & it's uniqueness, but I only paid $160 & it sold in 2-3 days. So I'm happy enough - kinda wish I could have afforded to keep it - it was definitely cool!
Thanks all for your help - as always!

 

Good for you, @journeymagazine -- Thanks for the update!

 

you sold it before hearing back from the family.........

Hey, if you needed the rent or food to eat..I got that.....but otherwise...they could have had more information....or wanted to buy it themselves or who knows what !!

You may have done yourself a disservice .........................just sayin...

 

I agree times 100 !

 

It wouldn't be the first time