Meramec Choice Art: January 2023

We hear people say, think outside the box. What does this mean?

Believe it or not, some artists work inside the frame of a box. Their art composition is contained within the sides. It's not that they aren't being creative, it's their way of actually creating.

Louise Nevelson (September 23, 1899 – April 17, 1988) was an American sculptor known for her large, monochromatic (one color), wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures. She would collect interesting objects that other people had discarded, arrange them together, and paint them all black, silver, gold or white!

Louise said that she knew she was an artist when she was 9 years old. Being an artist provided her an identity that she could make all her own. Louise expressed herself as an artist in every aspect of her life - and she certainly dressed the part. She favored a dramatic clothing and garments with piles of jewelry collected from her travels.

"when you put things together, things that other people have thrown out, you’re really bringing them to life."

- Louise Nevelson

Born in the Ukraine, Louise emigrated with her family to the United States over 100 years ago.

When she was a little girl, she loved to play with the wood scraps in her father’s lumberyard. As you look at Louise's art, do you suppose her childhood play with wooden pieces shows up in her art made as an adult? If so, what do you see that makes you say that?

“I always wanted to show the world that art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.”

Louise Nevelson

Marisol Escobar, otherwise known simply as Marisol, was a Venezuelan-American sculptor born in Paris, who lived and worked in New York City.

Marisol created wooden sculptures out of rectangular pieces of wood and wooden boxes.

Another artist that worked inside the frame of a box was Joseph Cornell

Joseph created assemblages. Think of an assemblage like a 3-D collage--a grouping of found objects and things.

Some artist have a theme or imagery that is repeated in their works of art.

Do you notice something reoccurring in Joseph's work?

Joseph worked inside sealed boxes, and artist Betye Saar often creates assemblages inside the box of a window frame.

Betye has said that seeing Joseph Cornell's assemblages inspired her to start building three-dimensional works based on found objects. Artists inspire one another.

Betye has a way of telling her own stories and stories about the world through symbols and artifacts.

Betye was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She has been a working artist for the past 60+ years. She is a mother to 3 daughters two of whom are also working artists. Betye is 94 years old and still creating new work.

To create her assemblage works, Betye Saar gathered items from her own life, including bits of fabric, photographs, and objects she found around the house.

"...it is my goal as an artist to create works that expose injustice and reveal beauty. the rainbow is literally a spectrum of color while...a symbol of hope and promise."
— Betye Saar

Will you create within a contained space?

Will you use found objects make your art?

Will you work in 3D?

Part two

We looked at artists who work with the idea of a frame or a box. Let's look at a few more artists who build their work with a box.

Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan explore the idea of moving, community and memory in their cities and structures made of cardboard

Other artists who work with boxes

Mark Dion is a contemporary artist who explores our curiosity. A shed packed with hundreds of small boxes, containers, and tins – each filled with old trinkets, toys, debris, or dried plants. Few visitors know that you can enter and open any box (do it!) You are invited in and are welcome to take out the boxes and look inside.

Memory boxes can be all shapes and sizes. Objects inside bring about the senses of sight, touch, smell or sound will evoke some of the strongest memories.

Each box has an object or several objects that are waiting for discovery.

Artist Ibrahim Mahama transforms materials and found objects to explore themes.

Ibrahim lives and works in Ghana.

As you watch this clip:

What were the boxes in this artwork originally used for?

What doe Ibrahim compare the boxes to?

Ibrahim creates walls and installations constructed in common materials. He often works with found objects, transforming them and giving them new meaning.

Tiny collages, drawings and mixed-media works all created in Match Boxes are part of the series called Omri (My Life) by Moroccan artist Mohamed Larbi Rahhali.

These photos capture just a fraction of the hundreds of Match Boxes in Mohamed Larbi Rahhali‘s piece, and the work is still ongoing.

In Mexico a popular type of art is a Nicho. It's a small box where scenes are created inside. Nichos are a type of folk art popular throughout Central and South America. Resembling dioramas, they are made from common household objects and craft materials.

They can be religious, quirky or filled with images that are popular in the culture like cartoons, skeletons, artists or movie stars.

The shadow box itself is easily converted from a cigar box, wooden containers, but can also be constructed from any lightweight wood or recycled tin. Colorful designs are painted on the box and borders Sequins, decorative bits and baubles and glitter can embellish the box.