Purchased with funds from various donors, by exchange
The rectangular shapes that make up this sculpture work together to create a humanlike figure. The figure appears to be balanced on one leg but still in motion.
I can keep looking at my sculpture and come up with many ideas about its color or whether it looks too stiff.
Joel Shapiro
Shapiro’s attention to detail goes beyond the form of his sculptural works. He also includes detail on the surfaces of his sculptures. His wood and bronze sculptures include natural grain or texture from the manufacturing process. This bronze statue may look like a simple geometric sculpture from a distance. Its texture is visible when it is viewed up close.
Untitled is an example of post-minimalist art. It combines simple shapes with a focus on the materials used. The post-minimalism art movement is a reaction to (and against) the simplicity of the minimalism movement. Post-minimalist art expands on the abstract, geometric styles of the minimalism movement, but it uses more detail and expression.
Before he completed his education at New York University, Shapiro worked in India for the Peace Corps. He spent time there taking photos to document local crafts. This put him in contact with many artisans who taught him their traditional techniques. Shapiro says his experience with the Peace Corps influenced his decision to become an artist.
The possibility of actually becoming an artist became very real to me for the first time.
Joel Shapiro
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