Joseph Cornell – Artwork & Bio of the American Sculptor

Joseph Cornell was an American sculptor born on 24 December 1903 in Nyack, New York. Cornell never received formal art instruction, developing his artistic prowess solely through his hunger for learning about cultures and art. He discovered what would be his signature art medium while checking out Japanese print shops.

Cornell participated in the 1930s exhibition that launched the Surrealism movement in America. He had his first solo show in 1932 and participated subsequently in several other shows. Cornell also experimented with filmmaking. Later, he worked on collages and restructured some of his famous boxes. Cornell died of heart failure on 29 December 1972 in Queens, New York.

What was Joseph Cornell Known For?

Joseph Cornell was known for creating sculptures by assembling different items in boxes that he termed shadow boxes. Cornell infused mystery into the artworks by making an unusual combination of objects in glass-covered boxes away from their usual context and drawing his viewers into a fantastical world of imagination.

Who was Joseph Cornell Influenced By?

Cornell was friends with many other Surrealist painters and artists, many of whom influenced his artwork. Some of these artists are Marcel Duchamp, Carolee Schneemann, and Robert Motherwell. Other famous Surrealist artists who influenced Cornell include Max Ernst, Giorgio di Chirico, and Kurt Schwitters.

What Art Movement was Joseph Cornell Associated With?

Joseph Cornell was associated with the Surrealism art movement. Though he rejected the Surrealist label, Cornell’s works are associated with Surrealism because of the unnatural assemblage of unrelated objects.