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 an American artist. She is famous for her sculptures that look like stacked pyramids. Her artwork is displayed in many important museums. These include the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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Jackie Ferrara's Life and Art
Ferrara was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 17, 1929. She studied at 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 city's growing art scene. She worked with theater and dance groups. During the 1960s, Ferrara was involved in art performances called "happenings."
During this time, she started making sculptures. At first, her work was similar to a style called Minimalism. But by the 1970s, she developed her own unique style. In the late 1950s and early 1970s, her sculptures included wax figures and hanging pieces made of jute and canvas.
What Her Sculptures Look Like
Jackie Ferrara's sculptures often feature wooden pyramids or ziggurats. Ziggurats are ancient stepped towers. Her works also include horizontal steps. She is known for her careful craftsmanship. Her art often reminds people of old buildings from places like Mesoamerica and Egypt. She also uses simple geometric shapes.
Ferrara sometimes cut away parts of her pyramids. She also started making pyramids that did not have four identical sides. She often used graph paper drawings to plan her detailed sculptures. One of her early well-known works was "Hollow Core Pyramid" from 1974. Other famous pieces from this time include "Curved Pyramid" and "Stacked Pyramid," both made in 1973.
Smaller Works and Public Art
In the 1980s, Ferrara began creating smaller sculptures. She made pieces out of plywood that she called "wallyards" or "courtyards." These looked like small models. Another series of small works she called "places" also came from this period. Many of these look like tiny models of temples. They seem to mix ancient, modern, and even futuristic styles.
Since the 1980s, Ferrara has focused on creating art for outdoor spaces. These "public environments" often involve designing floor areas, walkways, and platforms. She uses geometric patterns in her designs. Ferrara often uses tiles like granite, slate, and terracotta. She arranges them into patterns like checkerboards and triangles. These patterns can stretch across spaces in surprising ways.
Major Public Artworks
Jackie Ferrara has created many large artworks for public places. Some of her notable works include:
- "Castle Clinton: Tower and Bridge" (1979)
- "Meeting Place" (1989), which had a large lobby with concrete and steel flooring, a raised platform, and seating.
- "Belvedere" (1988) at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
- The 250-seat "Amphitheater" (1999) at LACMA.
- The sixty-foot-high "Stepped Tower" (2000) at the University of Minnesota.
- The 60-foot-long red and black granite "Fountain" (2006) at University of Houston.
Awards and Recognitions
Jackie Ferrara has received many awards and grants for her artistic 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, 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 Life
Ferrara married jazz musician Don Ferrara in 1955. They separated in 1957. She lived in Tuscany, Italy, in 1959 and 1960.
