Robert Indiana (American, 1928–2018). *Star*, 1962. Oil and gesso on wood, iron wheels, 76 x 18 x 13 inches (193 x 45.7 x 33 cm). Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1963 (K1963:9). © Morgan Art Foundation Ltd / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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Robert Indiana

American, 1928-2018

Star, 1960-1962

gesso, oil, and iron-and-wooden wheels on wood

overall: 76 x 18 x 13 inches (193.04 x 45.72 x 33.02 cm)

Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York

Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1963

K1963:9

More Details

Inscriptions

inscription / below wheels, right side / I

inscription; date / below wheels, left side / 1960/1962, USA

Provenance

Stable Gallery, New York;
February 27, 1963, purchased by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo with funds provided by Seymour H. Knox

Class

Sculpture

Work Type

Assemblage (sculpture)

Information may change due to ongoing research.Glossary of Terms

Star is among Robert Indiana’s earliest assemblages, or sculptures made using found materials. The area near Indiana’s home and studio on Coenties Slip was well past its heyday as a vibrant port when Indiana moved there in 1957, and the demolition of many of the neighborhood’s disused warehouses provided fruitful grounds for scavenging. One of his most significant finds was a set of die-cut, brass stencils, which he would go on to use to paint numbers, letters, and other personally significant symbols on his repurposed beams. Stars feature prominently in Indiana’s work across the decades, and over time, the star became a personal symbol of the artist.

Label from Robert Indiana: A Sculpture Retrospective, June 16–September 23, 2018