Open Zag
Open Zag, 1974
Louise Nevelson (American, 1899 – 1988)
#1979.0003.0001
Famed for her assemblage sculptures and public works of art, Louise Nevelson was an internationally renowned sculptor who gained prominence in the 1950s and 60s. Nevelson is most recognized for her monochromatic assemblages made from wood and found objects. Many of her pieces are painted entirely black, uniting the various elements into a total work and transforming the identity of the found objects. Born in Russia in 1905, Nevelson and her family immigrated to Rockland, Maine when she was five years old. She moved to New York City to study at the Art Students League and worked for a time as a studio assistant to Diego Rivera. She also taught art classes at the Educational Alliance Art School as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and, while there, she studied sculpture with Chaim Gross. In 1962 she represented the United States at the Venice Biennial.
