“A true story about art under trial. . . . [Brancusi] ships the abstract bronze piece to New York for an exhibition, but the customs officials don’t consider it art. Puzzling over it, they imagine a parent and child using it to roll pastry dough or a hospital making it into a lampstand. They classify it accordingly, but those categories come with a hefty tariff. An infuriated Brâncuşi sues the U.S. government. More visual humor ensues as the subject is debated in the 1926 trial. Ultimately, minds are opened, and the ruling favors the sculptor. Soft, warm, mixed-media compositions incorporate swirling birds (an especially adorable one can be seen throughout, fluttering above the ship ferrying the artwork to the U.S. and watching the judicial proceedings), effectively interpreting and extending the text. Hobai’s concluding definition offers much to ponder: ‘Art is in the heart, and in the emotion that connects you to the artist’s vision.’ An insightful introduction to an artist and an age-old argument.” —Kirkus Reviews
