Louise Nevelson: A Pioneer

Louise Nevelson - Ancient Secrets - 1964 - painted wood - 179.39 × 158.75 × 38.1 cm (70 5/8 × 62 1/2 × 15 in.) - National Gallery of Art - Washington, D.C.Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) emigrated with her family to the USA from the Ukraine in the early 20th century. Nevelson learned English at school, as she spoke only Yiddish at home. By the early 1930s she was attending art classes at the Art Students League of New York, and in 1941 she had her first solo exhibition. 

A student of Hans Hofmann and Chaim Gross, Nevelson experimented with early conceptual art using found objects, and dabbled in painting and printing before dedicating her lifework to sculpture. Usually created out of wood, her sculptures appear puzzle-like, with multiple intricately cut pieces placed into wall sculptures or independently standing pieces, often 3-D. 

One unique feature of her work is that her figures are often painted in monochromatic black or white. A figure in the international art scene, Nevelson was showcased at the 31st Venice Biennale. Her work is seen in major collections in museums and corporations. Nevelson remains one of the most important figures in 20th-century American sculpture, and is a pioneer of Assemblage Art.

Pino Pascali: Arte Povera

Pino Pascali - Bridge - 1968 - Steel wool and wire - 39 3/8" x 26' 3" x 35 7/16" (800 x 100 x 90 cm) - MoMA, New York (click photo for larger image)Arte Povera (Italian for "Impoverished Art" or "Poor Art”) was is label for a small group of artists in Italy who were experimenting with nontraditional and politically charged art, in the 1960s and 1970s.

These artists created and explored modes of expression such as ephemeral art, performance art, installation art and assemblage, using what have been referred to as “poor” non-art materials. These techniques have since become extremely common tools in contemporary art; in fact this is one of the reasons that such a small and short-lived movement continues to have such relevance today.

One of the clearest influences on the group was the work of Dada artist Marcel Duchamp (discussed elsewhere on What About Art?). His "Readymade" sculptures, especially his infamous "Fountain" urinal, have the same kind of subversive power that Arte Povera artists aimed to achieve.

Pino Pascali (1935-1968) was part of the Arte Povera movement. He used everyday, natural, and unorthodox materials in his work, including cans, steel wool, hay, and dirt. His "fake sculptures" appear to be solid structures but are actually shaped canvases whose forms suggest animals, plants, and landscapes. 

The work featured here, Bridge, has the appearance of a primitive rope bridge. But it is constructed of steel wool, a modern industrial product. This is the most ambitious of the works in Pascali's last series, entitled Reconstructions of Nature. "I do not believe you make shows in galleries," Pascali said, "you make the gallery, you create the space."

Pascali is also known for his Weapons series, re-creations of guns and cannons assembled from found materials and painted army green. His inspired works were an important contribution to postwar art within his short lifetime.

“Shadows and Light” - The Kinetic Art of Rob Niosi

Zoetrope (click photo for larger image) 

An Opening Reception for “Shadows and Light” will be held this Saturday, May 13th, at the OAC Steamer Firehouse Gallery, 117 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Ossining, NY. Admission is FREE.

Rob Niosi is a filmmaker and artist who works in a broad range of media. In his own words…

From a very young age I have been compelled to draw, paint and… build things. When I was 8-years-old I picked up my father’s home movie camera and began my journey as a filmmaker. I have made a career in nearly ever aspect of film and video production including writing, producing, directing, set design and construction, prop building, special-effects make-up, stop-motion animation, cinematography, and more.”

I recently completed a 12-year project constructing a full scale Time Machine inspired by the 1960 MGM film of the same name. This project has recently been chronicled in a feature length documentary entitled, How To Build A Time Machine. 

Many of my pieces in the “Shadows and Light” exhibit are inspired by the idea of time travel—and my love of vintage mechanical gadgets—which I often repurpose as objects that explore the interplay between shadows and light.

PLEASE DO make it a point to attend the Opening Reception to this amazing exhibit. It will be an afternoon well spent!