Jene Highstein: Drawings

16 June–23 August 1992

Early in his career, Jene Highstein was influenced by use of inexpensive or found materials promoted by the Italian Arte Povera movement. His early work was made in cement and steel, materials that require building up, which made the artist’s process an additive one. When Highstein later began to work in stone and marble, he reversed his process to a reductive one, which required him to carve away the material to produce subtle changes in its form. His attention to surface details is illustrated in Truncated Pyramid, where shimmering ridges create texture and evoke movement. Highstein’s sculpture invites contemplation, attracting the viewer with its sensually-worked surface. Truncated Pyramid is a permanent gift to the Smart Collection and will be installed and displayed in the Elden Sculpture Garden. The unveiling was accompanied by an exhibition of Highstein’s drawings for this sculpture and other projects.

Curator: Britt Salvesen, graduate student intern

The exhibition was funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council

Share this:
The University of Chicago smARTKids