World Garden Cabinet

Copied Louise Nevelson, World Garden Cabinet, 1959, painted wood, 57 x 11 1⁄2 x 10 1⁄2 in. (144.8 x 29.2 x 26.8 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection, 1980.137.83

Artwork Details

Title
World Garden Cabinet
Artist
Date
1959
Location
Dimensions
57 x 11 1⁄2 x 10 1⁄2 in. (144.8 x 29.2 x 26.8 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection
Mediums
Mediums Description
painted wood
Classifications
Subjects
  • Abstract
Object Number
1980.137.83
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1980.137.83

Artwork Description

Louise Nevelson began making assemblages from cast-off wooden debris during the 1940s, stacking objects and boxes to create imposing walls and installations. She often painted her assemblages black, claiming that black was the "most aristocratic of all" because it contained all other colors and could never be the same twice. In World Garden Cabinet, Nevelson filled a wooden cabinet with pieces of wood, all painted black. She left some nails exposed, which emphasizes the modesty of her materials.