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Sanctuary

A tall, wooden sculpture that leans against the gallery wall. A hollow box at the top is supported by two wooden branches that connect to a wheel at the bottom. The rough tree branches contrast with the refined wood of the box.
© Martin Puryear

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  • A tall, wooden sculpture that leans against the gallery wall. A hollow box at the top is supported by two wooden branches that connect to a wheel at the bottom. The rough tree branches contrast with the refined wood of the box.

Date:

1982

Artist:

Martin Puryear
American, born 1941

About this artwork

In 1977 a fire destroyed a vast body of Martin Puryear’s sculpture, as well as many of the artist’s worldly possessions. Resulting in what he called “a period of grieving followed by an incredible lightness and freedom” the event proved pivotal in directing the artist’s subsequent work. One year later, Puryear began a series of sculptures around the themes of movement and shelter. Sanctuary embodies what he described as “mobility with a kind of escapism, of survival through flight.” The sculpture appears to be in a state of arrested motion. This whimsical and sophisticated work reconciles a longing for stability with a need for change. By pairing the wild tree saplings with a carefully fashioned shelter, Puryear celebrated the beauty of wood in both its natural and refined states.

Status

On View, Gallery 297

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Martin Puryear

Title

Sanctuary

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1982

Medium

Pine, maple and cherry

Dimensions

320 × 61 × 45.7 cm (126 × 24 × 18 in.)

Credit Line

Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Logan Purchase Prize Fund

Reference Number

1982.1473

Copyright

© Martin Puryear

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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