Untitled (work of art)
Artwork Info
Key Ideas
- This work is made up of four bronze, rectangular prisms. The prisms jut out from one another to create a humanlike form.
- This sculpture is an example of post-minimalist art. It is an abstracted form that focuses more on the materials than the subject matter.
- Joel Shapiro is a post-minimalist artist who is based in New York. He is best known for creating abstract geometric sculptures. His sculptures often look like humans in motion.
- Shapiro spent time with the Peace Corps in India, where he documented the making of traditional crafts. His experience in India influenced him to become an artist.
- The textures and natural patterns of the materials Shapiro uses to create his sculptures can be seen best when viewed up close.
Learn More
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
Additional Resources
Resources for Teachers
- Read an interview with the artist.
- Watch a video of the artist discussing his art exhibition in Seoul, South Korea.
- Read an interview with the artist about another exhibition of his work.
Resources for Students
- Watch a video about the artist’s work.
- Watch a video about the installation of a Shapiro sculpture.
- Watch an interview with the artist.
Images
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Untitled
A bronze sculpture made up of geometric shapes is balanced on a round black platform. The sculpture is located on a grassy lawn, in front of a white building.
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Untitled, Joel Shapiro
A bronze sculpture made up of geometric shapes is balanced on a round black platform. The sculpture is located on a grassy lawn, in front of a white building.
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Untitled by Joel Shapiro
A bronze sculpture made up of geometric shapes is balanced on a round black platform. The sculpture is located on a grassy lawn, in front of a white building.