Bidspirit auction | Louise Nevelson ”Volcanic Magic XVII”

Louise Nevelson ”Volcanic Magic XVII” 1985 - Louise Nevelson (American, 1899-1988). Wood, paper, fabric, and metal assemblage titled ”Volcanic Magic XVII.” Signed and dated 1985 along the lower right. With labels from the Pace Gallery, Claude Bernard Gallery, Hokin Gallery Inc, and Dolly Fiterman Gallery along the verso. Provenance: Hokin Gallery Inc, Palm Beach; Dolly J. Fiterman Collection 1987, Minneapolis; Acquired by the present owner from the above. Lot essay: Louise Nevelson was a groundbreaking modernist sculptor known for her bold use of found objects, which she transformed into commanding, often monochromatic wooden constructions. She saw herself not as a scavenger but as a ”resurrector, ” breathing new life into discarded materials and placing them into the cultural canon through museums and galleries. Born in 1899 in Kiev and raised in Rockland, Maine, Nevelson showed early creative inclinations, especially toward sculpture. After marrying Charles Nevelson and moving to New York City in 1918, she immersed herself in the city's artistic and intellectual opportunities. Unfulfilled in her domestic life, she pursued formal art education, eventually studying with Hans Hofmann in Munich and assisting Diego Rivera back in the U.S. - experiences that deeply informed her evolving visual language rooted in Cubism and spatial awareness. Nevelson’s breakthrough came in 1941 with her first solo show at Nierendorf Gallery, where she debuted sculptures constructed from boxes - an innovation that became a defining feature of her work. By the mid-1940s, she began using found objects, which she believed carried their own histories and emotional weight. These materials became central to her practice, assembled into massive, theatrical wall-like installations that explored both personal and universal themes. As her career progressed through the 1950s and beyond, she gained significant institutional recognition, her work collected by major museums and featured in exhibitions alongside the most influential artists of her era. Nevelson became an icon not only for her art but also for her bold personal style and unwavering artistic vision. One of her final pieces, Volcanic Magic XVII, encapsulates the essence of Nevelson’s lifelong exploration of space, texture, and storytelling. Unlike her earlier monochrome works, this sculpture uses a gradient of browns to create depth, suggesting a maturation of her visual vocabulary. It features quintessential Nevelson elements - wooden fragments, chair parts, fabric, and metal - all arranged in a frame evocative of her classic box structures. Yet, the work invites more subtle engagement: the worn, broken chair parts spark questions about their origin, suggesting narratives that the viewer must piece together. In this way, Nevelson's genius lies not only in assembling objects but in creating spaces for imaginative participation, ensuring that the stories she resurrected continue to evolve with each new encounter. Height: 32 in x width: 41 in x depth: 4 in. Condition: Please email us at condition@revereauctions.com for a condition report or additional photos.