“Untitled (Cockatoo and Corks)” is an installation piece created by artist Joseph Cornell in the year 1948, during the Surrealism art movement. It measures 14 3/8 x 13 1/2 x 5 5/8 inches and is part of a private collection. The genre of this artwork falls under the category of installation art, which offers an immersive experience for the viewer.
The artwork presents an assemblage enclosed within a box-like wooden frame, reminiscent of a shadow box or a small diorama. Within this contained tableau, one observes a three-dimensional yellow cockatoo perched on a wooden bar that spans across the height of the structure. Adjacent to the bird are strategically placed objects, such as corks of varying sizes, which reside behind a grid, further reinforcing the sense of captivity or enclosure. Below the bird is a complex arrangement of compartments, one of which contains what appears to be vintage bottles or flasks with green labeling, while another holds a small, metallic box-like device that could be interpreted as an element of intrigue or mystery—a recurring theme in Cornell’s creations. The artwork is meticulously crafted, with Cornell’s placement of mundane objects in a dreamlike scenario that provokes imaginative contemplation and evokes a sense of nostalgia mixed with whimsy.
