Louise Nevelson

Louise Nevelson was a pioneering American sculptor known for her monumental, monochromatic wood assemblages. Born in 1899 in Pereiaslav, Ukraine, she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1905, settling in Rockland, Maine. Nevelson moved to New York City with her husband, Charles Nevelson, in 1922 where she began to study painting, drawing, singing acting and dancing. The artist attended the Art Students League in 1929 and later apprenticed with renowned sculptor Hans Hofmann in Munich.

Nevelson’s unique artistic vision was deeply influenced by her experiences and the diverse cultural milieu of New York. With references rooted Abstract Expressionism, Cubism and Constructivism, she experimented with early conceptual art using found objects and wood, creating her signature box sculptures. These works, often painted in a single colour, primarily black, white or gold, became her trademark. In creating her almost totemic forms and sculptures Nevelson found influence in Native American and Mayan art, dreams, the cosmos and archetypes. The intricate compositions of her wood sculptures, often three-dimensional, created dramatic, shadowy landscapes that invited viewers into a complex interplay of light and form.

In 1941 Nevelson had her first solo exhibition at Nierendorf Gallery, but it was during the 1950s and 1960s that her art gained significant recognition, exhibited widely and frequently. In 1962 her work was selected for the American Pavilion at the 31st Venice Biennale.

Nevelson was also known for her contributions to public art. In 1978 the City of New York commissioned a sculpture garden in Lower Manhattan to showcase some of Nevelson’s large-scale sculptures. Louise Nevelson Plaza became the first public space in New York City to be named after an artist.

Louise Nevelson died in 1988 in New York. Her works can be found in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American, the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum in New York. Her innovative use of materials and her distinctive visual language have left an indelible mark on contemporary art.