2019-09-16 Bloomberg Businessweek

Abstract

expressionist

John Chamberlain

took the gestural

force of Jackson

Pollock’s paintings

and rendered it in

three dimensions.

His most famous

sculptures—

mammoth car

doors and hoods

bent and crushed

into submission—

are almost by

definition grandiose

and heroic: the

artist inflicting

his physicality on

inanimate objects.

63

Bloomberg Pursuits

A show of small-scale sculptures

expands the legacy of John Chamberlain

Photograph by Kyoko Hamada

Steel

Magnolia

THE CASE

Winter

Philodendron is

made from painted

and chromium-

plated steel. The

piece has never

been exhibited or

sold. In May, Hauser

& Wirth announced

it would represent

Chamberlain’s

estate; this

exhibition of

THE FIELD

• Alexander Calder’s
  tabletop sculptures
  regularly come
  to auction with
  estimates of as low
  as $300,000.


• Mark di Suvero has
  a thriving practice
  of making more
  manageable objects
  than his towering
  I-beam structures
  often seen in
  corporate plazas. A
  31-inch-high steel
  sculpture from 1991
  sold at Christie’s
  New York for
  $62,500 in 2017.


• A 30-inch-high
  1959 work by
  David Smith sold at
  Christie’s New York
  in May for $615,000.

So it may come

as a surprise that

in the late 1980s

Chamberlain

made smaller

sculptures, some

no bigger than

a foot tall, as

part of a series

he called “Baby

Tycoons.” In pieces

such as Winter

Philodendron from

1992 ($650,000),

the gesture of the

artist’s hand in

miniature becomes

something more

delicate and

engrossing. “Baby Tycoons,”

which opened

on Sept. 5 at the

gallery’s East

69th Street space

in New York, is

a prelude to a

bigger show next

year. $650,000;

hauserwirth.com

At just over

10 inches high and

14 inches wide,

the sculpture is a

little larger than a

basketball

y

September 16, 2019

THE ONE

Abstract

expressionist

JohnnCChahambmbererlalainin

took thegestural

force of Jackson

Pollock’s paintings

andrendereditin

three dimensions.

His most famous

sculptures—

mammoth car

doors andhoods

bent and crushed

into submission—

are almost by

definition grandiose

and heroic: the

artist inflicting

his physicality on

inanimate objects.

63

BloombombergrgrgrgrgrgrgggggggggggggggggggggggPuPuPPuPuPuPuPuPuPPuPuPuPPPPPPPPPPPuPPuPuPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPuPPPPrsursrs its

A show of small-scale sculptures

expands the legacy of John Chamberlain

Photograph by Kyoko Hamada

THE CASE

Winter

Philodendronis

made from painted

and chromium-

plated steel. The

piece has never

been exhibited or

sold. In May, Hauser

& Wirth announced

it would represent

Chamberlain’s

estate; this

exhibitionof

THE FIFIELDD

• Alexanded r CCalder’s
  tabletop sculpptutureres s
  regularly come
  to auction with
  estimates of as low
  as $ 300 ,000.


• MarkdiSuverohas
  a thrivingpractice
  of making more
  manageable objects
  than his towering
  I-beam structures
  often seenin
  corporate plazas. A
  31-inch-high steel
  sculpture from 1991
  sold at Christie’s
  New Yorkfor
  $62, 500 in 2017.


• A 30-inch-high
  1959 work by
  David Smith sold at
  Christie’s New York
  in May for $615,000.

So it may comme

as a surprise ththata

inintthehe latatee 1998080 ss

Chamberlain

made smaller

sculptures, some

no bigger than

a foot tall, as

part of a series

he called “Baby

Tycoons.” In pieces

suchasWinter

Philodendron from

1992 ($ 650 ,000),

the gesture of the

artist’s hand in

miniature becomes

somethingmore

delicate and

engrossing. “Baby Tycoons,s,”

which opened

on Sept. 5 at the

gallery’s East

6 9th Street space

in New York, is

a prelude to a

bigger show next

year.$650, 000 ;

hauserwirth.com

At just over

10 inches high and

14 inches wide,

the sculpture is a

little larger than a

basketball

y

Septemmber 16 , 201 9

THE ONE

Abstract
expressionist
JohnnCChahambmbererlalainin
tookthegestural
forceofJackson
Pollock’s paintings
andrendereditin
threedimensions.
Hismostfamous
sculptures—
mammothcar
doorsandhoods
bentandcrushed
intosubmission—
arealmostby
definitiongrandiose
andheroic:the
artistinflicting
hisphysicalityon
inanimateobjects.

63

Blooomb rsursrsits

Ashowof small-scalesculptures

expandsthelegacyof JohnChamberlain

Photograph by Kyoko Hamada

THECASE

Winter

Philodendronis

madefrompainted

andchromium-

platedsteel.The

piecehasnever

beenexhibitedor

sold.InMay,Hauser

&Wirthannounced

it wouldrepresent

Chamberlain’s

estate;this

exhibitionof

THEFIFIELDD

• Alexanded rCCalder’s
  tabletopsculpptturerss
  regularlycome
  to auctionwith
  estimatesofaslow
  as$ 300 ,000.


• MarkdiSuverohas
  a thrivingpractice
  ofmakingmore
  manageableobjects
  thanhistowering
  I-beamstructures
  oftenseenin
  corporateplazas.A
  31-inch-highsteel
  sculpturefrom 1991
  soldatChristie’s
  NewYorkfor
  $62, 500 in2017.


• A 30-inch-high
  1959 workby
  DavidSmithsoldat
  Christie’sNew York
  in May for $615,000.

Soit maycomme

asa surpriseththat

inintthehelatatee 198080 ss

Chamberlain

madesmaller

sculptures,some

nobiggerthan

afoottall,as

partofa series

hecalled“Baby

Tycoons.”Inpieces

suchasWinter

Philodendronfrom

1992 ($ 650 ,000),

thegestureofthe

artist’shandin

miniaturebecomes

somethingmore

delicateand

engrossing. “BabyTycoons,s”

whichopened

onSept. 5 atthe

gallery’sEast

6 9thStreet space

inNewYork,is

apreludetoa

biggershownext

year.$650, 000 ;

hauserwirth.com

Atjustover

10 incheshigh and

14 incheswide,

thesculptureis a

littlelarger thana

basketball

y

Septemmber 16 , 201 9

THEONE