Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) is widely regarded as the definitive visual artist of the existentialist movement. His post-war sculptures perfectly captured a pervasive sense of alienation, isolation, and anxiety in a seemingly absurd, indifferent universe. The Square II, with its elongated figures walking across an imaginary piazza, powerfully expresses these sentiments. Giacometti made five different casts of this work, with every figure placed in slightly different positions. All five figures are faceless, evoking a sense of anonymity that defines the human condition. Four of the figures are men. Although they are in close proximity with each other, they do not connect nor communicate. Each one simply appears to be self-absorbed or deeply lost in thoughts. Each figure is impossibly thin, their skins are greatly wrinkled and their feet are heavy-looking. Yet, with the exception of the lone standing woman, all the figures are depicted walking as though they must soldier on despite the burden and anxieties of living.

Square II was completed in 1947-8, shortly after the end of Word War II, and some scholars attribute Giacometti’s grim sculpture as a memorial to the horrific sufferings endured by millions during the war. Yet, I think the fundamental message of his work transcends that era, reminding us that even though we may be surrounded by people, we are ultimately alone. We exist entirely within our own minds, experiencing our joys and suffering through a perspective no one else can fully share.