Description Keith Sonnier (American/Louisiana, 1941-2020), "Star of David", neon and transformer, unsigned, 12 1/2 in. x 12 1/2 in., fastened with chord and two-prong plug Provenance: Collection of Noted Preservationist and Aesthete Dorian M. Bennett, New Orleans. Note: Keith Sonnier was born in Mamou, Louisiana where he spent his childhood immersed in the rice fields and Cajun culture of Acadiana. After earning an undergraduate degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, Sonnier received an MFA from Rutgers University in 1966 and relocated to New York. He quickly became a fixture in the city's countercultural art scene, as he worked alongside artists such as Lynda Benglis, Richard Tuttle, Eva Hesse and Richard Serra to radically influence the dialogue on contemporary sculpture through his use of common and industrial materials in a Postminimalist style. Sonnier's focus turned to neon light in 1968, and he was one of the first artists to integrate light into his practice. Using copper tubing as a template, Sonnier sketched lines, arches and curves that were ultimately realized in glass tubing enclosing neon gas. The linear aspect of the neon allowed Sonnier to draw in space with light and color, while the colored light interacted with the surrounding architecture - qualities seen in the work offered here. Sonnier often cited his youth in the south Louisiana landscape as a major source of inspiration for his work. ?I grew up in a rice-growing area, so it was flooded half the year. It was the light on the water, and the distance, and seeing the light in architecture from a distance reflected?It was my Turner experience.? For over five decades, Sonnier worked in the language of light having a monumental impact on contemporary art. He has been the subject of more than 150 solo exhibitions worldwide and has participated in numerous group exhibitions. Ref.: "Biography." Keith Sonnier. www.keithsonnier.net. Accessed July 30, 2020. "In Memoriam: Keith Sonnier (1941 ? 2020): An Artist that Brought the Light of Louisiana to the World." Ogden Museum of Southern Art. www.ogdenmuseum.org. Accessed July 30, 2020
Condition Report All lots are sold ?As is? and ?Where is?. Neal Auction provides condition reports on items with a low estimate over $500 as a courtesy to aid in your bidding decision. No statement regarding age, condition, kind, value, or quality of a lot, whether made orally at the auction or at any other time, or in writing in this catalogue or elsewhere, shall be construed to be an express or implied warranty, representation, or assumption of liability. Completed condition reports are posted as an additional image with the lot. Neal Auction does not give refunds