Ruth Duckworth, Modernist Sculptor

January 13, 2005 - April 3, 2005

The Museum of Arts & Design is honored to present Ruth Duckworth, Modernist Sculptor, the first comprehensive retrospective of this important artist, known for her works in ceramic, bronze, and stone. This exhibition features 80 works, including freestanding sculpture and sculptural vessels from her early years in Britain and mid to late career works produced in the U.S. Many of the works are from the artist's private collection, including stone carvings and maquettes that have never before been exhibited. In addition, the exhibition incorporates photographs of Duckworth's large scale architectural murals and site specific sculptures, and a video documenting her life, for a very personal and in-depth look at this groundbreaking artist.

Duckworth's career began in the post-World War II years, and her work embodies that era's organic modernism: strong clean forms, an abstraction based on nature, and inspiration from non-Western “primitive” art. The catalog essay by co-curator Jo Lauria demonstrates the harmonies between Duckworth's work and that of sculptors Henry Moore, Constantine Brancusi and Isamu Noguchi. Lauria notes: “She shares with them certain themes: the investigation of human relationships through sculpture, the majesty and mystery of nature, and the spiritual quality that emanates from abstract forms.”

At the same time, Duckworth has developed her own distinct style, lending her technical skill and instinctual sense of composition to a variety of forms, from monumental wall murals to small sculptural vessels, using materials that range from delicate porcelain to rugged stoneware to classical bronze. Her abstract sculptures are immensely evocative, imparting in turn serenity and grace, texture and movement, seduction and sexuality. Holly Hotchner, director of the Museum of Arts & Design, says, “She is a pioneering figure who dared to create forceful sculptural objects normally considered as masculine forms of expression. “

Duckworth was born in Germany in 1919. In 1936 she left Germany to join her sister in England , fleeing Nazi oppression. A rebellious student at many of the art schools she attended in England , Duckworth nevertheless drew inspiration from the art world that surrounded her. She became acquainted with Henry Moore and his work, and was inspired by trips to the British Museum to study their collections of Egyptian, African, Pre-Columbian and Cycladic sculpture.

Moving to Chicago in 1964 for a one-year teaching position, she ended up staying in the United States , invigorated by the artistic freedom she found. She has continued to work and create, notably a number of major commissions for large-scale wall murals and monumental outdoor sculptures. Duckworth's radical, convention-defying approach and her potent energetic works tempered by refinement have been a great inspiration to both former students and fellow artists. An acknowledged visionary in her field, she has affirmed, most importantly, that clay is a viable medium for sculpture.

Ruth Duckworth, Modernist Sculptor is accompanied by a major monograph.