Totem: The Untold Story of Sculpture

Why have human beings spent thousands of years shaping stone, carving wood, and transforming materials into meaningful objects? In Totem: The Untold Story of Sculpture, art historian and curator Jo Baring explores the fascinating relationship between sculpture, human creativity, and the societies that produce it. Rather than following a conventional chronological history of art, Baring takes readers on a story-driven journey across different cultures and periods. The discussion reaches back to prehistoric objects such as the Lion Man figure discovered in a German cave, explores ancient architectural wonders including Mayan pyramids, and considers important works from the Italian Renaissance and modern artistic movements. Along the way, readers encounter influential artists and sculptors such as Michelangelo, Alberto Giacometti, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Constantin Brâncuși, Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, and Antony Gormley. Their creations provide different perspectives on how three-dimensional art communicates ideas that extend beyond appearance and technique. The book considers the deeper meanings associated with sculpture, including identity, memory, power, spirituality, loss, and the human desire to leave a lasting mark on the world. It also explores how artistic objects connect individuals with their histories, communities, and surroundings. Featuring specially commissioned illustrations by Julia Ashe, this beautifully presented exploration combines accessible art criticism with cultural history and storytelling. Totem is suitable for art enthusiasts, students, collectors, museum visitors, creative professionals, and readers interested in sculpture, visual culture, and the history of human creativity. It offers an opportunity to look at familiar artworks differently while discovering the stories behind humanity's enduring fascination with making art.