Sculptures, Statues & Figures — Post-War to Present
Louise Nevelson was an American sculptor, renowned for her innovative and monumental monochromatic, wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures. Born in Kiev, Russia (now Ukraine), she moved to the United States as a child, settling first in Rockland, Maine, before embarking on her storied career in New York City. Nevelson's work broke new ground in abstract art through her assemblages of found wooden forms and her exploration of space within room-sized environments. Her early life and artistic journey were marked by a continuous struggle for recognition in a male-dominated art world, eventually gaining attention in the 1950s for her unique constructions.
Nevelson's sculptures, often created from wood, were characterized by their puzzle-like complexity, with intricately cut pieces arranged into both wall sculptures and freestanding pieces. The works are typically painted in monochromatic black or white, emphasizing their textural and volumetric qualities. A key figure in 20th-century American sculpture, Nevelson's contributions extend beyond her artistic creations; she was also a pioneer in the realm of public art, engaging broader audiences with her monumental installations.
Her pieces are celebrated worldwide and can be found in museum and corporate collections across Europe and North America. Nevelson's legacy is that of a trailblazer who used her vision to transform everyday materials into profound expressions of space and narrative.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, the exploration of Louise Nevelson's work offers an insightful glimpse into the evolution of American sculpture and the pivotal role she played in it. To stay informed about new sales and auction events related to Nevelson's work, sign up for updates and ensure you never miss an opportunity to engage with the history and future of this influential artist's contributions to the art world.
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Donald Clarence Judd was an American artist associated with minimalism (a term he nonetheless stridently disavowed). In his work, Judd sought autonomy and clarity for the constructed object and the space created by it, ultimately achieving a rigorously democratic presentation without compositional hierarchy. He is generally considered the leading international exponent of "minimalism," and its most important theoretician through such writings as "Specific Objects" (1964). Judd voiced his unorthodox perception of minimalism in Arts Yearbook 8, where he says, "The new three dimensional work doesn't constitute a movement, school, or style. The common aspects are too general and too little common to define a movement. The differences are greater than the similarities."
Bryan Hunt is an American sculptor. He worked at the Kennedy Space Center as an engineer's aide and draftsman, 1967–1968, during the NASA Apollo Program. In 1968, he moved to Los Angeles to enroll in the Otis Art Institute, where he received a BFA in 1971.
Frank Philip Stella, an American icon in the realms of painting, sculpture, and printmaking, has left an indelible mark on the art world with his pioneering work in minimalism and post-painterly abstraction. Born on May 12, 1936, in Malden, Massachusetts, Stella's artistic journey commenced with his studies in painting at Phillips Academy, Andover, and history at Princeton University. His move to New York City in 1958 heralded the start of an illustrious career that would see him challenge and redefine artistic boundaries.
Stella's work is celebrated for its innovative approach to form, color, and composition. His early endeavors in the late 1950s showcased black paintings characterized by bands of bare canvas, which played a pivotal role in emphasizing the flatness of the picture plane. This deliberate artificiality in his work garnered considerable attention and positioned him at the forefront of Post-Painterly Abstraction, a movement that reacted against the emotive excesses of Abstract Expressionism.
Throughout his career, Stella continued to push the limits of abstraction. His vocabulary expanded to include vibrant and dynamic assemblages that projected out from the wall, utilizing a variety of materials from steel to plastic. This evolution of his style is not only a testament to his ingenuity but also his influence on contemporary art. Notable works that exemplify his groundbreaking approach include "Grajau I," "Harran II," and "Eskimo Curlew," among others, which can be found in prestigious collections such as The Glass House and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
For art collectors and enthusiasts alike, Stella's oeuvre offers a captivating exploration into the possibilities of abstract art. His continued relevance and the profound impact of his work on both his peers and successive generations of artists underscore his status as a seminal figure in modern art.
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Joel Shapiro is an American sculptor renowned for his dynamic work composed of simple rectangular shapes. The artist is classified as a Minimalist as demonstrated in his works, which were mostly defined through the materials used, without allusions to subjects outside of the works.
Carl Andre is an American minimalist artist known for his sculptural works made of industrial materials such as metal plates, bricks, and concrete blocks. He was a key figure in the Minimalist art movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which emphasized the use of simplified forms and materials.
In the 1960s, Andre began creating his signature floor sculptures, which consisted of standardized units of metal, wood, or other materials arranged in simple geometric patterns directly on the ground. His work was often controversial, as many critics saw it as overly simplistic or even nihilistic. However, Andre's sculptures were also celebrated for their understated beauty and their ability to challenge traditional notions of art and sculpture.
Throughout his career, Andre has exhibited his work in major museums and galleries around the world. Andre continues to live and work in New York City, where he remains an influential figure in the art world.
Carl Andre is an American minimalist artist known for his sculptural works made of industrial materials such as metal plates, bricks, and concrete blocks. He was a key figure in the Minimalist art movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which emphasized the use of simplified forms and materials.
In the 1960s, Andre began creating his signature floor sculptures, which consisted of standardized units of metal, wood, or other materials arranged in simple geometric patterns directly on the ground. His work was often controversial, as many critics saw it as overly simplistic or even nihilistic. However, Andre's sculptures were also celebrated for their understated beauty and their ability to challenge traditional notions of art and sculpture.
Throughout his career, Andre has exhibited his work in major museums and galleries around the world. Andre continues to live and work in New York City, where he remains an influential figure in the art world.
Roni Horn is an American visual artist and writer. The granddaughter of Eastern European immigrants, she was born in New York City, where she lives and works. She is currently represented by Xavier Hufkens in Brussels and Hauser & Wirth.
Horn has been intimately involved with the singular geography, geology, climate and culture of Iceland.
Sherrie Levine is an American photographer, painter, and conceptual artist. Some of her work consists of exact photographic reproductions of the work of other photographers such as Walker Evans, Eliot Porter and Edward Weston.
Theaster Gates is an American social practice installation artist and a professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago.
Gates' work has been shown at major museums and galleries internationally and deals with urban planning, religious space, and craft. He works to revitalize underserved neighborhoods by combining urban planning and art practices. Gates' art practice responds to disinvestment in African-American urban communities, particularly in the wake of the financial crisis of 2007-2008, addresses the importance of formal archives for remembering and valuing Black cultural forms, and disrupts artistic canons, especially those of post-painterly abstraction and color field painting.
Tracey Karima Emin is a British artist known for her autobiographical and confessional artwork. Emin produces work in a variety of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, film, photography, neon text and sewn appliqué.
Damien Hirst is a seminal figure in contemporary art, well-known for his provocative and often controversial works that explore themes of death, rebirth, and the boundaries of art itself. As a leading member of the Young British Artists (YBAs) in the 1990s, Hirst catapulted to fame with his innovative approach to art that combines the techniques of installation, sculpture, and painting.
Damien Hirst's early career was marked by his organization of the pivotal "Freeze" exhibition in 1988, showcasing his and his peers' work, which caught the attention of influential art collectors. This period laid the groundwork for his signature works, including the 'Natural History' series, where animals such as sharks, sheep, and cows are preserved in formaldehyde, challenging viewers to confront the nature of existence and the inevitability of death.
Among Damien Hirst's most iconic pieces is "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living," featuring a tiger shark suspended in formaldehyde, and "For the Love of God," a platinum cast of an 18th-century human skull encrusted with 8,601 flawless diamonds. These works exemplify Hirst's exploration of mortality and the commodification of art.
Damien Hirst's 'Spot Paintings' and 'Spin Paintings' further demonstrate his challenge to traditional notions of authorship and the creative process, often involving teams of assistants in their production. These series play with concepts of randomness, control, and the aesthetic joys of color and form, pushing the boundaries of painting as a medium.
In 2017, Hirst embarked on "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable," an ambitious project that filled Venetian museums with artifacts from a fictional ancient shipwreck. This project, blending reality and fiction, invited audiences to question the authenticity and value of art, showcasing Hirst's ongoing interest in storytelling and myth-making within the context of contemporary culture.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Damien Hirst represents a pivotal figure whose works challenge, provoke, and inspire. His ability to blur the lines between art, science, and commerce has left an indelible mark on the art world, making his pieces highly sought after by collectors around the globe.
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John Baldessari was an American conceptual artist known for his work featuring found photography and appropriated images. He lived and worked in Santa Monica and Venice, California.
Initially a painter, Baldessari began to incorporate texts and photography into his canvases in the mid-1960s. In 1970 he began working in printmaking, film, video, installation, sculpture and photography. He created thousands of works which demonstrate — and, in many cases, combine — the narrative potential of images and the associative power of language within the boundaries of the work of art. His art has been featured in more than 200 solo exhibitions in the U.S. and Europe. His work influenced that of Cindy Sherman, David Salle, Annette Lemieux, and Barbara Kruger among others.
Kiki Smith is a West German-born American artist whose work has addressed the themes of sex, birth and regeneration. Her figurative work of the late 1980s and early 1990s confronted subjects such as AIDS, feminism and gender, while recent works have depicted the human condition in relationship to nature. Smith lives and works in the Lower East Side, New York City, and the Hudson Valley, New York State.
William Kentridge is a South African artist best known for his prints, drawings, and animated films, especially noted for a sequence of hand-drawn animated films he produced during the 1990s. The latter are constructed by filming a drawing, making erasures and changes, and filming it again. He continues this process meticulously, giving each change to the drawing a quarter of a second to two seconds' screen time. A single drawing will be altered and filmed this way until the end of a scene. These palimpsest-like drawings are later displayed along with the films as finished pieces of art.
Kentridge has created art work as part of design of theatrical productions, both plays and operas. He has served as art director and overall director of numerous productions, collaborating with other artists, puppeteers and others in creating productions that combine drawings and multi-media combinations.
Jack Pierson, a contemporary American artist born in 1960 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, has carved a distinctive niche in the realms of photography, sculpture, and art. His association with the Boston School, alongside notable figures like Nan Goldin, David Armstrong, and Mark Morrisroe, underscores his significant influence on contemporary art. Jack Pierson's oeuvre is renowned for its exploration of the emotional undercurrents of daily life, ranging from romantic attachment to the idealization of wanderlust.
His practice encompasses a broad spectrum of media, including photography, sculpture, installation, painting, and found objects, through which he delves into life's varied emotional landscapes. Particularly striking are his large-scale wall sculptures composed of letters in diverse sizes and materials, juxtaposed with the hazy, soft-focus effect of his photographic works. These photos, reminiscent of road movies, capture the essence of a rapturous journey across the American landscape, while his word pieces rooted in nostalgia critique the American Dream's underbelly.
Jack Pierson's art does not merely valorize the American Dream; instead, it reveals its more complex, often melancholic dimensions. His word pieces, sourced from everyday vernacular and infused with historical, political, and cultural references, serve as a poignant reminder of Hollywood's bygone era and engage with contemporary philosophical ideas. His works are a testament to the power of language and material in evoking profound cultural and personal reflections, embodying an American variant of concrete poetry.
Currently residing in both New York City and Southern California, Jack Pierson's influence extends globally, with his works included in prestigious collections such as the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His career has been marked by significant exhibitions worldwide, demonstrating his pivotal role in shaping contemporary art discourse.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques seeking to explore the nuanced landscapes of contemporary art, Jack Pierson's work offers a compelling study in emotion, nostalgia, and cultural commentary. His ability to bridge the gap between various forms of artistic expression makes him a key figure in understanding the trajectory of modern art.
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Kiki Smith is a West German-born American artist whose work has addressed the themes of sex, birth and regeneration. Her figurative work of the late 1980s and early 1990s confronted subjects such as AIDS, feminism and gender, while recent works have depicted the human condition in relationship to nature. Smith lives and works in the Lower East Side, New York City, and the Hudson Valley, New York State.
Anish Kapoor is a British-Indian sculptor specializing in installation art and conceptual art.
Kapoor became known in the 1980s for his geometric or biomorphic sculptures using simple materials such as granite, limestone, marble, pigment and plaster. These early sculptures are frequently simple, curved forms, usually monochromatic and brightly coloured, using powder pigment to define and permeate the form.
Since 1995, he has worked with the highly reflective surface of polished stainless steel. These works are mirror-like, reflecting or distorting the viewer and surroundings. Over the course of the following decade Kapoor's sculptures ventured into more ambitious manipulations of form and space.
Sylvie Fleury is a Swiss contemporary pop artist known for her installations, sculpture, and mixed media. Her work generally depicts objects with sentimental and aesthetic attachments in consumer culture, as well as the paradigm of the new age, with much of her work specifically addressing issues of gendered consumption and the fetishistic relationships to consumer objects and art history.
