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H. C. Westermann

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Brief Description
H. C. Westermann offers a new consideration of the playful and unsettling sculptures of H. C. Westermann, a guiding figure of American conceptualism and craft. An acrobat, carpenter, railroad repairman, and two-time naval war veteran, sculptor H. C. Westermann (1922–1981) rose to prominence in Chicago in... Read More
Format: Hardback
$5999
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A new consideration of the playful and unsettling sculptures of H. C. Westermann, guiding figure of American conceptualism and craft

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H. C. Westermann offers a new consideration of the playful and unsettling sculptures of H. C. Westermann, a guiding figure of American conceptualism and craft.

An acrobat, carpenter, railroad repairman, and two-time naval war veteran, sculptor H. C. Westermann (1922–1981) rose to prominence in Chicago in the 1950s with new forms inspired by his personal experiences. This overdue reassessment of an understudied artist includes stunning new photographs of Westermann's intricate and exceptionally crafted sculptures throughout his career.

New essays by Giampaolo Bianconi and Thea Liberty Nichols explore his nonconformist attitudes about masculinity and his intense response to the horrors of warβ€”a recurring theme in Westermann's sculpture following his return from service in the Korean Warβ€”as well as his experiments with wordplay, connection to conceptualism, and astonishing contributions to American art.

An interview with artist Ed Ruscha, who knew and admired Westermann and his attention to craft, gives context to Westermann's complex role as an unpretentious father figure to American conceptual and pop artists.

Distributed for the Art Institute of Chicago

Exhibition Schedule:

Art Institute of Chicago

(May 2025–May 2026)

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300282016

Publisher: Art Institute of Chicago

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 22 April 2025

Country: United States

Imprint: Art Institute of Chicago

Illustration: 65 color + 5 b-w illus.

Contributors:

  • Contributions by Ed Ruscha
  • Edited by Giampaolo Bianconi
  • Contributions by Thea Liberty Nichols

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 222.0mm

Height: 286.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 112

Collections

Arts & Culture Non-Fiction

About the Author

Giampaolo Bianconi is associate curator of modern and contemporary art at the Art Institute of Chicago.

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