In Helmet Head No.1, a protective helmet encloses a separate bronze form, which includes a nose and mouth, suggesting a face. Moore made a number of Helmet sculptures, but this one is more angular and mechanistic than others in the series, evoking memories of the Second World War, in which soldiers and civilians alike used protective helmets and masks. It was made just as the outbreak of hostilities in Korea threatened to escalate into a wider international conflict, and may reflect Moore’s anxieties over the threat of nuclear war.
Gallery label, February 2007
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