Question

When Edward Streichen attempted to bring his Brancusi sculpture Bird in Space into the U.S, the customs officer did not see the sculpture as art, instead he charged Brancusi import taxes of $600 because the customs officer categorized the sculpture as?

1) A decorative item
2) A personal belonging
3) A cultural artifact
4) A manufactured product

Answer 1

When Edward Steichen imported Brancusi's 'Bird in Space', the U.S. Customs officer categorized it as a manufactured product, which resulted in import taxes being levied against it.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Edward Steichen attempted to bring Constantin Brancusi's sculpture Bird in Space into the U.S, the customs officer charged Brancusi with import taxes because he categorized the sculpture as a manufactured product. The U.S. Customs applied this designation because the artwork did not resemble a traditional statue or representation of the bird, leading them to view it as something other than art.

This led to a famous legal battle which brought into question the definition and recognition of modern art by the authorities, eventually leading to a revised notion of artistic works beyond traditional forms and into the realm of abstraction.