| Bill Barrett | |
|---|---|
Bill Barrett with his marble sculpture, "Lexeme VIII," in Zell, Germany. |
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| Born | 21 December 1934 Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Field | Sculptor, Painter |
| Training | University of Michigan: B.S. in Design (1958), M.S. in Design (1959), MFA (1960) |
Bill Barrett (b. December 21, 1934) is an American sculptor, painter and jeweller.[1] He is considered a central figure in the second-generation of American metal sculptors [2] and is internationally known for his abstract sculptures in steel, aluminum and bronze.[3]
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Barrett began welding while a student at the University of Michigan. His early works consisted of steel rods, joined together to create open, three-dimensional drawings. For subsequent sculptures he filled in the negative space between the rods with molten metal and steel plates. From here, Barrett developed a technique of cutting steel sheets into rectangular shapes and forming the shapes into three-dimensional blocks or cylindrical forms.[4] He also explored the surface of steel, grinding or brushing the surface to give his finished work texture. Barrett later painted his steel sculptures to prevent the final pieces from rusting.[5]
Barrett’s work with aluminum began in 1960's. These sculptures were composed of flat, horizontal shapes; their surfaces were bright and clean. They suggested Minimalist sculpture and the work of Tony Smith.[6] In 1982 Barrett created his largest sculpture to date, “Hari IV” (28' x 32' x 16'), for New Dorp High School on Staten Island. The New York Times critic Michael Brenson called this sculpture “ one of the most successful public sculptures in the city.”[7]
Barrett started working with bronze as a way to explore increasingly fluid and gestural forms. As his interest in expressive forms grew, Barrett found that wax gave him the creative freedom to model shapes. He created a technique of pouring wax into a baking tin, drawing the shapes in the wax, and then combining the shapes to create a model, twisting and carving away at each shape by hand. The most successful models were cast into bronze and the bronze maquettes were then fabricated into larger bronze sculptures.[8] From the '90s on, Barrett’s bronze works took on a free-flowing quality that suggested calligraphy, movement, dance and music. Several sculptures from this decade refer directly to dance.[9] In May 2011, Barrett installed a bronze sculpture in New York City's Tribeca neighborhood, for temporary display, as a memorial to September 11, 2001.[10]
Inspired by the light and colors of New Mexico, and by Arshile Gorky, Fernand Leger, and Jean Arp, Barrett began painting in 1992.[11] His vibrant paintings quickly became an important part of his entire creative process—they complemented and influenced the free-flowing feel of his sculptures.[12] Drawing—rhythmic contours and marks—maintained a central role in the creation of his paintings and sculptures.[13] Since 1992, Barrett has had a number of solo exhibitions, featuring both painting and sculpture.[14] In 2010 Barrett exhibited paintings and sculptures in two separate shows: Polyphonic Abstractions: Painting and Maquettes by Bill Barrett at the Christian Petersen Art Museum at Iowa State University, and Synchronicity at Kouros Gallery in New York City.[15]