Goodbye John Chamberlain, the artist died yesterday at the age of 84

Yesterday the art world lost one of it's foremost sculptors, John Chamberlain, an artist widely known for his use of abstract expressionist works featuring vibrant colored metal from automobiles. Mr. Chamberlain has lived locally in Shelter Island, N.Y. for a number of years and I had the chance to meet him and hear him speak about his work a few years ago at Jack Larson's Longhouse Reserve when he showed up as a substitute for Chuck Close who couldn't make it. John was a really friendly guy and I thought it was fascinating hearing how he developed his style after different attempts at other creative endeavors such as music and drawing. It was at Larry Rivers Southampton home where he found his craft which continued to advance over the years. I've seen a number of his works in person over the years and they are supremely American in every way regardless of how you read them.

Here is a link to his NY Times obituary: John Chamberlain, Who Wrested Rough Magic From Scrap Metal, Dies at 84

Artist John Chamberlain

In addition to checking out the Longhouse yesterday I had an opportunity to attend a conversation between the classic American sculptor John Chamberlain and the director of the Parrish Museum in Southampton, Terry Sultan. John is well known in the art world for his colorful metallic pieces incorporating car parts and I learned his first car sculpture was actually created in town in Larry Rivers backyard. John spoke about his youth in Chicago and trying to find his way as an artist at the Art Institute of Chicago and Black Mountain College.

John went on to discuss his artistic process and career with highlights such as 2 inclusions in the Whitney Biennial, and over 100 one man shows. Chamberlain, who studied art history for a period, has always considered himself an Abstract Expressionist along with the other Hamptonites like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning . The concept of viewing his work through the frame of Abstract Expressionism gives his sculptures another dimension. In his hour long dialogue the 81 year old sculptor had a number of fun stories about his old drinking days and his associations with other artists.