At A Glance
Atmosphere and Environment XII has been relocated from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to the University of Pennsylvania’s campus
Louise Nevelson is one of the most influential artists of the decades following World War II
She is known for her wall-like sculptures painted in one color and incorporating a myriad of abstract forms
Atmosphere and Environment XII is made of 18,000 pounds of Cor-Ten steel
Another example of Nevelson’s work in Philadelphia is Bicentennial Dawn
Atmosphere and Environment XII is a product of the mature style of Louise Nevelson, one of the most influential artists of the decades following World War II. In the late 1950s, Nevelson conceived of wooden collage “environments,” wall-like sculptures painted entirely in one color and incorporating a myriad of abstract forms. Her interest in theater influenced both her concept of sculpture-as-environment and her use of vertical structures resembling stage sets.
Within the cubes are additional geometrical shapes, and the entire openwork composition seems to echo the landscape of a modern city.
Made of 18,000 pounds of Cor-Ten steel, which gradually weathers to form its own patina, Atmosphere and Environment XII consists of six columns of open rectangular cubes bolted together. Within the cubes are additional geometrical shapes, and the entire openwork composition seems to echo the landscape of a modern city.
After exhibitions in France and New York, the sculpture was purchased by the Fairmount Park Art Association (now the Association for Public Art) in 1971 and installed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s West Entrance in 1973. The artwork underwent comprehensive conservation treatment in 2007 by the Conservation Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in cooperation with the Association for Public Art, with support from the federal Save America’s Treasures program, the Getty Foundation, and the Locks Foundation. In July 2019, Atmosphere and Environment XII was relocated to the University of Pennsylvania – on long-term loan from the Association for Public Art – to accommodate extensive renovations at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Other sculptures in the Atmosphere and Environment series are located at the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Princeton University, Yale University Art Gallery, and Scottsdale, AZ. Another example of Nevelson’s work in Philadelphia is Bicentennial Dawn (1976) at the James A. Byrne Federal Courthouse (interior).
Adapted from Public Art in Philadelphia by Penny Balkin Bach (Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 1992).
Voices heard in the Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program: Lynn Marsden-Atlass is former director of the Arthur Ross Gallery and University Curator at the University of Pennsylvania. Maria Nevelson is Founder and Executive Director of the Louise Nevelson Foundation. She is the granddaughter of the artist, Louise Nevelson. Adam Jenkins is a conservator of sculpture and decorative arts based in Philadelphia. | Segment Producer: Alex Lewis / Rowhome Productions
Museum Without Walls: AUDIO is the Association for Public Art’s award-winning audio program for Philadelphia’s outdoor sculpture. Available for free by phone, mobile app, or online, the program features more than 150 voices from all walks of life – artists, educators, civic leaders, historians, and those with personal connections to the artworks.
RESOURCES
- Philadelphia Inquirer: Art Museum sculptures that have stood sentry for decades are moving to Penn for 99 years
- How to Request Images
- The Association for Public Art’s Digital Archive
This artwork is part of the Around University City tour
