Image: Martin Puryear (American, born Washington, DC, 1941), Big Phrygian, 2010–2014, painted red cedar, Glenstone Museum, Potomac, Maryland. Photo by Ron Amstutz. © Martin Puryear, courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery.
“Martin Puryear: Nexus”, a survey of the American sculptor’s career co-organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Cleveland Museum of Art, has opened at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the last venue on its tour. It is on view until 17 January 2027, and the High is the only museum in the southeastern United States to present it.
The High describes the show as the fullest account of Puryear’s work assembled in more than 20 years. It brings together more than 70 pieces covering roughly five decades, with sculptures in wood, glass, marble and cast bronze shown alongside drawings and prints that are seldom exhibited.
Puryear was born in Washington, DC, in 1941. Among the works on paper are drawings he made in Sierra Leone while serving in the Peace Corps, and in 2019 he represented the United States at the Venice Biennale with the exhibition “Liberty/Libertà”. According to the museum, the survey traces how his work draws on global culture and social history, the natural world, traditions of craft and making, African American history and science.
Three works highlighted by the High indicate the range on display. “Big Phrygian” (2010–14), made of painted red cedar, is lent by the Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Maryland. “Aso Oke” (2019) is a bronze from the Jack Shear Collection, and “A Column for Sally Hemings” (2021), in marble and cast iron, comes from the artist’s own collection.
The Atlanta presentation is part of the High’s Premier Exhibition Series, sponsored by Delta Air Lines, with Sarah and Jim Kennedy as series supporters. Admission for non-members is $23.50, and entry is free for members and Museum Pass holders.
