art paper
Joseph Cornell (1903-1972)
Joseph Cornell 1
A one of a kind collector, American artist and filmmaker Joseph Cornell gathered more than just found objects. Cornell surrounded himself with physical and conceptual collections which were an integral part of his existence as a person and as a creator. While the personal diaries contained an accumulation of his thoughts, hopes, memories, experiences, and feelings, the artist's house treasured a versatile selection of objects that he obtained from New York's book stores, thrift shops, flea-markets, antique fairs, and the outdoors. Rare prints, books, photographs, toys, magazine pages, found objects, and anything else imaginable constituted his growing collection. Cornell gathered ideas and things that spoke to him and then transformed them into small interactive microcosms. By viewing his artwork we can gain a better understanding of his persona.
Comprehending Cornell's lifestyle and emotional being is crucial in viewing and appreciating his work. Spending his entire life in New York caring for his brother, who had special needs, Cornell had difficulty communicating with the outside world. Despite the multitude of his artistic connections, he lacked the ability to form relationships. Cornell's heart ached for celebrity women, for whom he expressed his affections for through art.
With no formal training, Cornell developed an individual approach to art-making, using highly complex concepts and techniques. He was especially influenced by the Surrealist style and ideas which may be detected in his Fantastic creations. Max Ernst's collages inspired Cornell to produce his own, which with time, evolved into three-dimensional assemblages. Another significant impact on his work was the Victorian Era with its lavish decorating and an overabundant use of space. Similar to Victorian homes, Cornell's house was filled with collections which he carefully organized in boxes.
Like a porous sponge, Cornell collected impressions, experiences, and sensations which he instantaneously recorded. Small shadow boxes with glass lids contain examples of the "juicy material" that Cornell had gathered. Through the glass door, unique juxtapositions of objects and images evoke a sense of wonder, luring in the audience for a closer look. The surprising arrangement of unlikely matter is reminiscent of Man Ray's Gift or Marc Chagall's I and the Village. The boxes are fantastic, poetic, nostalgic, and romantic expressions of Cornell's life, sometimes mixed with desperation and melancholy. These small cubicles of magic may be compared to the Cabinets of Curiosities in their content and display of matter. In each box assemblage, the collagist combined rare finds in the most bizarre way to tell a story about his life and to allude to the childhood that was forever gone.
In addition to the box assemblages, Cornell also experimented with film, layering scenes, sounds, and frames similar to his sculptural collages. Layers of time and memories are a constant factor present in his work, allowing us to comb through them and withdraw elements that might be familiar. During the Surrealist movement, Cornell was viewed as an established American Surrealist and in later years, precursor of Pop and Installation art. He influenced numerous artists, including the Abstract Expressionists. Major artists following in his footsteps respected his creativity, intelligence, and skill.
Vocabulary
Many of the important terms and concepts from the textbook readings are demonstrated in this artist's work. Be sure to study how these terms are evidenced in the works.
silhouettes
low-relief
manipulated
substitution
shapes
sculpture
atectonic
Artwork Gallery
Untitled (Butterfly Habit) 2
“Untitled (Butterfly Habitat)”
Joseph Cornell’s Untitled (Butterfly Habitat) of 1940 brings us back into childhood when we warmed frosted windows with our breath, peering through the cold glass at winter landscape. Cornell used a similar idea by frosting the glass of the box’s doors, leaving only small circles to reveal its contents. As bright yellows and oranges shimmer behind the glass lid, the audience is invited to peer inside. Six square cubicles within showcase pinned butterflies, each different in its coloring, shape and kind. Their bright silhouettes or contours stand out against the monochromatic background. As they hover in their confined cells, they function as low-relief sculptures due to their subtle protrusion in the box’s surface. The wings transform the space, adding dimension to the piece. Once symbols of freedom and flight, they now are imprisoned within organized geometrical compartments. Once living, they are now scientific specimens reminiscent of the natural rarities in the cabinets of curiosities. There is something magical and also disturbing about their presentation. They are frozen in the fleeting moment of time, left forever beautiful and trapped. Frosted glass is evocative of Marc Chagall’s Village in Vitebsk, country folk and animals presented through interpenetrating transparent and hazy shapes. This romantic and lyrical theme is also sensed in this fantastic work. While the artist reminisces on his hopes and dreams, he realizes that they are short-lived. He shields them from changing, leaving only a small window for us to see through the fog.
Untitled (Roses des Vents) 3
“Untitled (Roses des Vents)”
Untitled (Roses des Vents) was created by Joseph Cornell. Between 1942 and 1953, the artist continuously manipulated or transformed the surface through substitution by adding or subtracting objects and images to achieve the desired goal.
The manipulation of the work may also be detected in the pasted, layered, and painted areas. The result is an imaginative journey into the past; a voyage into another world, expressed through maps, waves, planets, compasses, and miniature coasts. Cornell separated the box into individual cells or cubicles, each housing its own private wonder. Since the artist never visited the far lands, this cabinet of curiosities was an alternate means to travel back in time. As children, we dream of the fantastic realm into which we can escape by merely closing our eyes. Cornell was able to fit his wish into a box and share it with the audience.
The open lid of Untitled (Roses des Vents) is lined with an old map that depicts the coastline of the Great Australian Bight.
Its yellowed skin and browned edges are evocative of the ancient treasure maps. The sliding secondary lid is embedded with small compasses whose needles point to different destinations, demonstrating the unlimited possibilities of the passage. Colorful two-and three-dimensional forms or shapes stand out with their color or texture, representing a piece of land, a planet, or a secret location. They are eye candy that speaks to a child within us. As we examine each miniature room of wonders we can sense the artist’s loneliness and his dreams for an adventurous life.
Soap Bubble Set 4
“Soap Bubble Set”
Joseph Cornell’s Soap Bubble Set (Ostend Hotel) 1958, is an assemblage box that draws the viewers in for an intimate interaction. As we closely observe the contents of this imaginative union of three-dimensional objects, unusual details catch our attention. This construction may be described as atectonic due to the open space within the box where white and clear objects look weightless and unimposing. While the aged paint of the interior reminds us of an old building’s walls, the exterior is covered with yellowish newspaper whose text has been worn and smudged with time. Newspaper coating similar to an old, cheap substitute of wrapping paper encases the small and bare installation of a glass goblet and a white ball. Upon closer examination, greater details come to life, such as flakes of paint, rows of nails peering out of wood, a broken clay pipe, and “Ostend Hotel” paper cutout. These simple and quite useless materials become living entities which bear a bizarre relationship to one another. They speak of isolation, decay, and inevitable disintegration. Perhaps this small world described the fate of Ostend Hotel, or the mindset of the artist who was feeling lonely and hopeless. Recall the metaphysical paintings of Giorgio De Chirico where dark colors, open space, and isolated figures spoke of melancholy and restlessness. Nevertheless, the glass “window” of the box acts as a barrier between our world and the microcosm. It functions as a protective layer that will shield the contents from further aging. The title of this work may also be linked to Victorian times that were of great influence to the artist. Soap bubble sets were popular items of leisure which may have been an inspiration. Exemplary craftsmanship and attention to detail demonstrate the artist’s control and dedication to the work.
