Dreams and Shadows

Joseph Cornell


One of the most original American artists of the twentieth century, Joseph Cornell was influenced by a wide range of sources - Americana, French culture, the surrealists, vaudeville, and the movies.


His slot-machines of the 1940s and his work with experimental cinema are unique and impacted many artists, including: Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg.


Never quite a fit with the NY art world, Cornell maintained a simple lifestyle, working out of his humble home in Queens and taking care of his mother and disabled brother.




photos

top: Cornell at his last exhibit for children at Cooper Union


below: Penny Arcade Portrait of Lauren Bacall. 1945