Nakian: The Later Works 1966 - 1986 at Project 3W57 by Cavalier Gallery

Cavalier Gallery has announced Nakian: The Later Works, 1966-1986, a feature exhibition honoring the renowned artist, Reuben Nakian. A prolific sculptor, Nakian produced works in numerous mediums, such as bronze, terracotta, and steel. Several of these pieces, as well as works on paper, will be featured at our NY location, Project 3W57. The show focuses on his later works, all done after his prestigious retrospective at MOMA in 1966, curated by Frank O'Hara.

Nakian began his career as a sculptor and a participant in the Abstract Expressionist movement, working and becoming friends with the likes of Willem DeKooning and Arshile Gorky in the 1930s and 1940s. He revered the great sculptors throughout art history, from Phidias to Bernini. His bronze sculptures and works on paper reflect his love of the classical style, while also bringing abstraction to his figures, namely females in erotic scenes. Nakian said, "[Greeks] comprehended the structure of the human body, synthesized it and hid the abstraction".

His fascination with Greek and Roman mythology influenced his subjects, often depicting such tragic figures and stories as Leda and the Swan, and the Europa and the Bull. His nymphs, animals, and other figures remind us that the ancient stories of human folly and sensuality can still be relevant today.

Nakian's work has been exhibited and seen internationally, from America's most important cultural institutions, to the Venice Biennale. He has been honored with several shows at the Los Angeles County Museum, MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, among several others. Nakian has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, such as the Gold Medal from Philadelphia College of Art, Ford Foundation and Guggenheim Fellowships, and the President's Fellow Award from the Rhode Island School of Design.