Louise Nevelson
1899 - 1988
Louise Nevelson (August 23, 1899 – April 17, 1988) was an American sculptor known for her monumental,
monochromatic, wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures. Born in Czarist Russia, she emigrated with
her family to the United States in the early 20th century when she was three years old. Nevelson learnt
English at school, as she spoke 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
Hoffman 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. 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. Louise
Nevelson remains one of the most important figures in 20th-century American sculpture.