Martin Puryear in his new show reveals about his artist process

Once in a while, you find artists who know how to make a difference, not only with their imagination but their art too. One such artist is Martin Puryear. The visitors at Martin Puryear’s 2007 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art are enthralled by his work. They will remember the singular appeals of his mostly wooden sculpture, its enigmatic forms, its astounding craftsmanship and the humanistic spirit it oozes. He loves the three dimensional art and it is pretty evident in his work. Though, he has equally good hand on two dimensional arts. His range of work is now at display at the Morgan Library and Museum. His work on paper seems provisional and uncertain that brings along with itself a different sort of visual satisfaction.

The shoe shows his growth as an artist

Mr. Puryear has explored motifs, tried out forms and contours and as he does not worry unduly about finish. This is the first time his drawings have been displayed. Most of it directly comes from Mr. Puryear’s own collection. His art has been admired by aficionados. Martin Puryear was born in Washington in 1941 and graduated from Catholic University of America. He was sent to newly independent Sierra Leone from 1964 to 1966. He did a lot of research and artwork there. After working at the Peace Corps, Mr. Puryear studied printmaking in Sweden and then attended Yale, where he turned definitively to sculpture. He grew as an artist when post minimalism was at its height. His early work therefore has a strong influence of post-minimalism. He has always valued the virtue of craft in every medium.

Martin Puryear’s work and art talk for itself

Martin Puryear was known for motifs that were devoid of personal expression but resonate his political opinions. There are a few figures that Martin seems obsessed with. He has had multiple drawings and sculptures to provide various interpretations from the same object. There is a 1990 drawing, done with black Conté crayon and smudged around its edges. It consists of an irregular oval that is extended at its bottom into a rectangle, looking a bit like the business end of a golf club. He recurred the form two years later and made a large preparatory drawing for a sculpture. The sculpture, titled “Vessel” is at display in the museum too. There is a print from 2001 with net of lines that describe a conical form bending at apex. He adapted the form in 3D later. There was an elegant sculpture of hardwood saplings and cordage at Mr. Puryear’s outstanding exhibition at Matthew Marks Gallery in Manhattan.

His recent show is more about paper art. There are a few three-dimensional inclusions for the viewers though. There might be a better show in Chicago next year. The show at Morgan would be divided between the museum’s low-ceilinged, crepuscular upstairs gallery and its taller, one-room downstairs exhibition space.  The arrangement there is quite enthralling. With an unwieldy split, the show will have a tad shorter second half and that makes Martin Puryear’s work quite thrown together for the audience.