All photos courtesy of Tishman Speyer
Large-scale sculptures by the late American artist John Chamberlain are making their first United States appearance at Rockefeller Center. On view from April 16 through May 29, “Chamberlain Goes Outdoors at Rockefeller Center” showcases three sculptures by Chamberlain, who was best known for his distinctive works made of scrap metal and aluminium foil. Free and open to the public, the installation offers a rare opportunity to experience one of Chamberlain’s final bodies of work.
Chamberlain, who passed away in 2011, created sculptures with crushed automobile steel, bringing the “Abstract Expressionist style into three-dimensional forms,” a press release reads. He also experimented with other mediums, including paintings with sprayed automobile paint and sculptures made of urethane foam.
By the 1970s, Chamberlain began creating large sculptures using heavy-gauge aluminium foil, shaped by kicking, punching, and even driving his car into the works. Later, he started crafting miniature sculptures from aluminium foil, which he later transposed into monumental sculptures in 2007.
Presented by Mnuchin Gallery, the “Chamberlain Goes Outdoors at Rockefeller Center” follows successful exhibitions in Amsterdam, Scotland, and London.
The featured works include “FIDDLERSFORTUNE (Pink)” (2010), “RITZFROLIC (Green)” (2008), and “BALMYWISECRACK (Copper)” (2010), the latter of which will be displayed publicly for the first time.
“We are delighted to introduce Chamberlain’s monumental ‘Foil’ works to New Yorkers against the iconic backdrop of Rockefeller Center,” Alexandra Fairweather, director of the John Chamberlain estate and stepdaughter of the late artist.
“Not since 2012, when his career was celebrated with a retrospective at the Guggenheim and a presentation of additional ‘Foils’ at the Seagram building, has there been such a significant public presentation of Chamberlain’s work in the city, and we could not have asked for a better opening date than his birthday, April 16. In tandem with the release of ‘Living with Chamberlain,’ our family aims to celebrate the legacy of the artistic visionary by engaging a new generation of collectors and art enthusiasts.”
Christie’s will also present “John Chamberlain: Foil & Form” through April 27, a curated selling exhibition featuring 11 works by the sculptor across Rockefeller Center. Free to the public, the exhibition spans different eras of Chamberlain’s career, from the 1980s to the 2000s, and includes seven small-scale “Foils,” two “Tonks,” and three tabletop sculptures, all on view at its headquarters at 20 Rockefeller Plaza.
According to Christie’s, the works together form a survey of the themes and ideas that shaped Chamberlain’s six-decade career, highlighting his signature blend of technical mastery, dynamic expression, and playful whimsy. The auction house will also launch a private sale starting on April 17.
Additionally, bookseller McNally Jackson will offer Assouline’s 280-page publication, “Living with Chamberlain,” at its Rockefeller Center location. The book presents a multifaceted look at what it means to share space with Chamberlain’s work, featuring interviews with collectors as well as personal and professional contacts of the late sculptor.
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All photos courtesy of Tishman Speyer
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