Facts about Martin Puryear Sculptures

1. 06

   Puryear's sculpture That Profile, like much of his work, uses bent and laminated wood to create biomorphic forms that resist easy categorization as either object or figure.

   Martin Puryear SculpturesJun 8sharesculpturewoodworkingcontemporary
2. 05

   Sculptor Martin Puryear spent time living and working in Sierra Leone as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960s, an experience that deeply influenced his approach to craft.

   Martin Puryear SculpturesJun 6sharesculpturebiographycraft
3. 04

   Puryear represented the United States at the 1989 São Paulo Bienal in Brazil, where he won the Grand Prize for his sculpture installations.

   Martin Puryear SculpturesJun 6sharesculptureamericanexhibition
4. 03

   The sculpture Ladder for Booker T. Washington by Martin Puryear features a dramatically tapering wooden form that evokes themes of aspiration and racial history.

   Martin Puryear SculpturesJun 6sharesculpturewoodworkingamerican
5. 02

   A large-scale Martin Puryear sculpture, Big Bling, was displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. as part of a public art initiative.

   Martin Puryear SculpturesJun 6sharesculptureamericanart
6. 01

   Martin Puryear sculptures are known for combining handcrafted woodworking traditions with abstract forms, often referencing African, Japanese, and Scandinavian craft techniques.

   Martin Puryear SculpturesJun 6sharesculptureartcraft