Renowned minimalist sculptor Robert Grosvenor, who paved his own artistic path following the minimalist movement, passes away at the age of 88.
Robert Grosvenor, a renowned sculptor born in New York in 1937, passed away at the age of 88. Grosvenor, who was raised in Newport, Rhode Island, and Arizona, gained fame early in his career, appearing in prestigious exhibitions such as Documenta and working with influential gallerists like Paula Cooper and Virginia Dwan.
Grosvenor's early works were described as "paintings that came off the wall," though he didn't keep them. His preference for minimalist aesthetics was evident, as he often chose to title his works as Untitled. This approach continued throughout his career, with works like the 2020 sculpture, Untitled, which received a review from critic John Yau for Hyperallergic. Yau described the piece as a pool of water sitting atop cement blocks, reflecting the ceiling above.
In the 1960s, Grosvenor gained acclaim in New York, appearing in shows like "Primary Structures" at the Jewish Museum. However, his sculptures diverged from Minimalism, with their spare forms made from industrial materials. In the 1970s, Grosvenor began making sculptures using wood beams, sawing and breaking his materials in ways that some critics described as violent. He applied creosote, a toxic and pungent material, to these beams.
In recent years, Grosvenor's art continued to appear in unusual places. For instance, his works were exhibited at the Surrealism-inspired Venice Biennale in 2022. His sculptures also graced the Fridericianum in Kassel, where a solo exhibition featuring around 30 artworks from all phases of his career was held. The exhibition was part of a playful, multi-material presentation alongside artists Lee Kit and Cosima von Bonin during the Kassel Museumsnacht event.
Grosvenor's art was not confined to traditional sculptural forms. In recent years, he sculpted cars and boats, a habit partly inspired by his time spent in the Florida Keys. He often spent months at a time on a single one of these works, honing them gradually.
Grosvenor's career was marked by a sense of independence, with Roberta Smith of the New York Times describing him as a lone wolf in sculpture. This was perhaps due to his decision to depart from the experimental practices of artists like Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni, whose work broke with the norms of painting and sculpture during the postwar era.
Despite his unconventional approach, Grosvenor's works have been exhibited by esteemed galleries such as Paula Cooper, Karma, and Galerie Max Hetzler in recent years. His first fully three-dimensional work, a 1965 wood and steel piece called Topanga, appeared at Park Place, a New York cooperative. Grosvenor befriended di Suvero, who introduced him to other artists. After returning to the US in 1959, having been called into military service, but never seeing combat, Grosvenor departed for Europe to study art at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris in the 1950s, feeling as though he "had had enough of boarding schools" in America.
Grosvenor's unique artistic vision and commitment to his craft will undoubtedly continue to inspire future generations of artists. His works, with their peculiar charm and unyielding originality, serve as a testament to his enduring influence in the world of sculpture.
