Ibram Lassaw: From Equinox to Solstice at Berry Campbell Gallery, NYC. Discussion participants: sculptors Garth Evans and Jock Ireland, with guest sculptor Lee Tribe. Video and editing by Nicole Oliveira. Recorded December 2025.
Ibram Lassaw at Berry Campbell Gallery
Sculpture Forum 
I just discovered Sculpture Forum #82 and was very interested in what was said about Lassaw’s sculpture by the three comentators.
It seems that none of you know very much about Lassaw’s work or life. I do hope you took a catalog and read them.
Regarding the use of Plumbing pipes covered with bronze. Plumbing pipes would be very heavy and difficult to cover with molton bronze. Lassaw did not use any found objects in his work. The shapes that someone thougth were plumbing pipes are sheet copper shaped by hand and fused over with bronze.
The sculptures that hang are all what Lassaw caleld Multi-positional, meaning they can stand on any side , they have no up or down, face or back. The gallery chose to hang them as a nice way to display them. there is no reference to Sattelites. Lassaw works do not reference any known object.
I noticed the word Obsessive was used a number of times. Shouldn’t an artist be deeply involved with their work? Shouldn’t art work be personal? Are sculptors just making window displays to please crowds on the street? The texture of the metal is part of Lassaw’s total involvement in the organic process of his work. These works grow like living things. There is no “design” or plan in thier making.
Lassaw did not use things or found objects or even pieces of metal junk. He liked working with oxy-actelyne gas welding. He didn’t think much of using industrial left-overs which so many artists find so useful. He did not arrange objects. He created his own shapes, textures, colors- all of which were important to him. Found materials retain the essence of their previous use. It is too easy to arrange them in new shapes.
And as far as “entering” his sculptures- he was completely part of his work, from the inside out. This was part of his philosophy of being totally entwined in the living cosmos.
On a historical note- someone said that Lassaw knew Bill de Kooning after he moved out to East Hampton- but this is wrong. de Kooning and Lassaw met in the 1930s and remined close friends for life. In fact Lassaw knew all the artists in NYC from his 20’s on,, both painters and sculptors. He knew David Smith from the 30s . He on the WPA, PWAP etc. Lassaw was among the founders of the Artist Union, The American Abstract Artist, The Club. The early years of the New York art world happend around the studio table in the loft. There was only one group of artist and it included both sculptors and painters.
Lassaw’s first abstract drawings were in 1927 and his first completey abstract sculpture in 1933.
While some artists spend a lot of time promoting themselves Lassaw was a private person and he valued the time he had alone in the studio. If people liked his work that was nice but it was not his responsibility – that is what galleries are for. He only wanted to do his work in the sacred space of the studio.
He did not make multiples. Each sculpture was unique. There is no “surface paint” on the sculpture. The blue color is from acid and is used only here and there.
I hope this is helpful.
Denise
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Gorgeous wire sculpture. Surface paint got a bit monotonous.
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