Jackie Ferrara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jackie Ferrara
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Ferrara in 2012
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| Born |
Jacqueline Hirschhorn
November 17, 1929 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Education | Michigan State University |
| Known for | Sculpture |
| Movement | Postminimalism |
Jackie Ferrara, born Jacqueline Hirschhorn on November 17, 1929, is a famous American artist. She is known for making sculptures and drawings. Her most famous sculptures look like stacked pyramids. You can find her artwork in many important museums. These include the Museum of Modern Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Contents
About Jackie Ferrara
Early Life and Art Journey
Jackie Ferrara was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1929. She went to Michigan State University for six months in 1950. Other than that, she mostly learned art on her own. In 1952, she moved to New York City. There, she became part of the exciting art scene.
She worked for a short time at the Henry Street Playhouse. This led her to get involved with theater and dance. In the 1960s, Ferrara took part in performances and "happenings." These were artistic events at the Judson Memorial Church. She even performed in two events created by artist Claes Oldenburg. In 1973, she helped design the sets for a play called ... and the Bit Player.
Developing Her Unique Style
During this time, Jackie Ferrara started creating sculptures. At first, her art was similar to Minimalist sculpture. But by the 1970s, she developed her own special style. Before that, her sculptures included wax figures and hanging pieces. These were made from materials like jute and canvas.
In 1973 and 1974, Ferrara had her first solo art shows in New York. These shows helped define her main style of sculpture. Her 1973 show featured layered, simple sculptures. They looked like cubes, stairs, tall monuments, or pyramids. They were made of wood or cardboard.
In her next show, Ferrara used only bare wood. This made her sculptures look clearer and more precise. They showed a strong sense of mathematical order. Her works were different types of "pyramids." Some had stepped walls or flat tops. Even though they looked like ancient pyramids, Ferrara saw them as abstract art. They were not meant to be models of real buildings.
Key Features of Her Art
Ferrara's artwork often features wooden pyramid or ziggurat shapes. These are usually combined with horizontal stacked steps. Her work shows very careful craftsmanship. It also reminds people of old buildings from places like Mesoamerica and Egypt. Her art often uses geometric forms.
She also experimented with cutting away parts of her pyramids. She moved away from having four identical sides. Some of her art shows included her graph paper drawings. These drawings helped explain how she planned her sculptures. One of her early important works was "Hollow Core Pyramid" from 1974. Other well-known works from this time include "Curved Pyramid" and "Stacked Pyramid," both from 1973.
Smaller Works and Public Art
In the 1980s, Ferrara started making smaller sculptures. These were made of plywood and she called them "wallyards" or "courtyards." They looked like small models rather than finished sculptures. She made these works more complex by using different kinds of wood. She also experimented with various stains.
These small pieces often had rectangular bases with walls. They sometimes included stairs and geometric designs. Ferrara started using stains like black, red, and yellow in 1982. She diluted the stains so the wood grain was still visible. Color allowed for more complex patterns. Another series of small works, called "places," grew from these. Many look like tiny models of temples. They seem ancient, modern, and even futuristic all at once.
Since the 1980s, Ferrara has focused on creating art for outdoor spaces. Her "public environments" from the 1980s and 1990s often involve surfaces. These include floor areas, walkways, and platforms. She arranges geometric patterns using tiles. She uses materials like granite, slate, and terracotta. She creates patterns like checkerboards and triangles.
Public Artworks
Jackie Ferrara has created many large public artworks.
- Castle Clinton: Tower and Bridge (1979)
- Meeting Place (1989): This work had a large "lobby" area. It featured concrete and steel flooring, a raised platform with steps, and seating.
- Belvedere (1988): Located at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
- Amphitheater (1999): A 250-seat amphitheater at LACMA.
- Stepped Tower (2000): A sixty-foot-high tower at the University of Minnesota.
- Fountain (2006): A 60-foot-long red and black granite fountain at the University of Houston.
Awards and Recognitions
Jackie Ferrara has received several important awards and grants for her work:
- Creative Artists Public Service grants from the New York State Council on the Arts: 1971 and 1975.
- National Endowment for the Arts grants: 1973, 1977, and 1987.
- Guggenheim Fellowship: 1976.
- Design Excellence Award for Flushing Bay Promenade, Queens, New York City, from the Art Commission of the City of New York: 1988.
- Institute Honor from the American Institute of Architects: 1990.
Personal Details
Jackie Ferrara married jazz musician Don Ferrara in 1955. They separated in 1957. She lived in Tuscany, Italy, during 1959 and 1960.
