1960s Sergio Bustamante Brutalist Mixed-Metal Bird Sculpture

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Artist background

Sergio Bustamante (born 1942, Culiacán, Mexico) is one of Mexico’s most celebrated sculptors and painters. He is best … Read more Artist background

Sergio Bustamante (born 1942, Culiacán, Mexico) is one of Mexico’s most celebrated sculptors and painters. He is best known for fantastical, dreamlike animal and human forms that bridge folk art, surrealism, and modern design. Bustamante studied architecture before turning to fine art, which strongly influenced his sculptural sense of volume, structure, and surface pattern.

Beginning in the late 1950s and 1960s, Bustamante gained international recognition for his metal animal sculptures, particularly birds and owls. These works are admired for their rhythmic, scale-like metal construction, expressive eyes, and strong, rounded silhouettes. Many were produced by hand in limited quantities, making earlier examples especially sought after.

About this sculpture

This bird sculpture is a strong example of Bustamante’s early metal work from the 1960s:
Constructed from overlapping, hand-cut metal strips arranged in a feather-like pattern
Sculptural volume with a compact, rounded body typical of his birds and owls
Contrasting metal tones, with a warm-toned beak and dark, expressive eye detail
Folk-surreal character that feels both whimsical and monumental

The size is substantial for a tabletop or console sculpture, giving it real visual presence without overwhelming a space.

Also selling another Bustamante bird that is slightly smaller with the head facing to the side. See less