Joseph Cornell’s “Untitled (Grand Owl Habitat)” is a renowned installation artwork created in 1946. This work of art features an Eastern Screech Owl and is one of the many works Cornell produced that focused on box assemblages. His contribution to assemblage art was highly influential, making him a celebrated pioneer in this field.
Cornell’s assemblage artworks famously feature found objects arranged ingeniously and obsessively to represent expansiveness and flight, with natural materials like bark, sawdust, mushrooms along man-made objects such as glass fragments and photographic reproductions constituting his artwork themes. The iconic “Grand Owl Habitat” represents one of several owl habitats produced by Cornell, including “Untitled (Owl Habitat),” and “Large Owl.”
The artwork has been exhibited worldwide in galleries such as the Stable Gallery in New York, where it was sold amidst great admiration due to its creativity and intricate nature. Despite rarely leaving New York during his lifetime, Cornell’s fascination with travel remains central to his work conceptually. His estate currently maintains the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation that upkeeps his legacy by investing heavily in preserving his works’ authenticity.
In summary, Joseph Cornell’s “Untitled (Grand Owl Habitat)” stands out among other artworks due to its emphasis on box assemblies featuring various natural objects that are meticulously arranged to convey a specific theme symbolizing expansiveness and flight through found items ingenuity focusing predominantly on owls’ life cycle portrayal.
