H. C. Westermann

About

H. [Horace] C. [Clifford] Westermann (1922–1981) is one of the most influential, yet underrecognized, figures in postwar American art. His work and the tough, no-nonsense persona he created for himself earned the respect and admiration of peers. Now, 20 years after his death, Westermann's influence continues to resound in the work of a new generation of artists at the same time it speaks to a new generation of viewers. Westermann invented an entirely new genre of sculpture that combined the surrealist practice of assemblage, traditional sculpting techniques, and the elements of design with carpentry and woodworking techniques and materials. He is primarily known for his use of wood—often incorporating common commercial or domestic products such as plate glass, plywood, galvanized sheet metal, and pile carpet as sculptural materials—as well as more traditional media like bronze and exotic hardwoods. Underscoring his method was an indefatigable work ethic acquired by necessity. Westermann grew up during the Great Depression and was toughened during his service as a marine in World War II and Korea.

The exhibition, complemented by a catalogue raisonné of Westermann’s objects, will be a definitive re-examination of the artist’s oeuvre, demonstrating the complexity and seriousness of subject, theme, and allusion in his work, and revealing his original American genius. This will be the first major museum exhibition devoted to Westermann since 1979. This exhibition will travel to Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and the Menil Collection, Houston.

In conjunction with the exhibition, see 10 films related to the life and work of the artists in the H. C. Westermann Film Series. Learn more about the artist’s life in Chicago by visiting Westermann in Chicago. For educators, the MCA and the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago have jointly developed the H. C. Westermann Teacher Curriculum.