Meet Joel Shapiro (born 1941, New York City), a sculptor known for his dynamic work composed of simple rectangular shapes that seem to become wildly active figures.
Shapiro continues to search for new ways to organize forms. In a recent exhibition at the Pace Gallery at 534 West 25th Street, he took his rectangles to another dimension, exploding them in architectural space, suspending them from the ceiling on strings in a carefully composed spatial work.
Artbus Project: "Popsicle People"
Here is a project inspired by early Shapiro works, you can do with your child. Children will learn about the human form using simple sticks:
Popsicle People
Buy a bag of wooden popsicle sticks at an art supply store or a special grocery. Arrange the sticks as "people" in active positions, arms up, balancing on one leg. Glue the sticks together with Elmer's glue. Let the glue dry completely overnight. You can paint the figures if you like. Find a photo of a scene in a magazine and mount it on cardboard. You can mount your figures in the landscape with little slits and Elmer's glue.
