Christopher Wilmarth (1943 – 1987). Crosscut Drawing, American, 1972. Etched glass and steel cable, 43.2 x 43.2 x 2.5 cm. Private Collection, New York, TL38327. Copyright 2002 President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Although perhaps best known for creating glass and steel sculptures, a key to Christopher Wilmarth’s 3-dimensional work was his grasp of drawing which led to some of the most innovative sculptors’ drawings of the last 35 years. Comprising more than 50 works, Christopher Wilmarth: Drawing Into Sculpture reflects Wilmarth’s embrace of drawing and focuses not just on the medium as traditionally defined, but on his overall concept of drawing and its realization on paper and in sculpture.

The selection of works in the exhibition will focus on three major aspects of Wilmarth’s drawings. Highlighting previously unknown material from the Christopher Wilmarth Archive, which was recently acquired by the Fogg Art Museum as a gift from Susan Wilmarth-Rabineau, the first section will address Wilmarth’s preparatory process and will include sketchbook drawings, maquettes, and technical specification sheets. The second section will focus on the crossover that Wilmarth made between 2- and 3-dimensional works by bringing together 6 of the artist’s glass and steel cable drawings from the early 1970’s. The final section will concentrate on the drawings that Wilmarth made after, or in association with, his sculptures as a means to think through the work just completed and look forward to new creative ideas.

Press Release