Joe Zucker
"Mayflower Study", 1973
Photo collage and pen on paper
22 x 21 1/2 inches (55.88 x 53.43 cm)
Courtesy of David Nolan Gallery

Selected by Linda Norden 

Joseph Zucker (May 21, 1941 – May 15, 2024) was an American artist. Born in Chicago, he received a B.F.A. from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1964 and an M.F.A., from the same institution in 1966. Joe Zucker has consistently been one of America’s most innovative artists beginning in the 1970’s. From 1969 throughout the seventies, Zucker experimented with what has become one of his signature techniques: rolling cotton balls in paint and gluing them to canvas in a gridded arrangement. Resulting in a highly textured surface reminiscent of mosaic, this technique radically transforms the surface of the canvas and challenges the “flatness.” His imagery most often relates in some way to the materials and processes. He addressed turbulent American history, and juxtaposed the role of the artist in the history of art with pirates. Modern pirates, as well as hackers do not recognize laws of ownership and property. They take what they need, invade what they want to invade and place themselves outside any jurisdiction. 

Throughout his extensive career, Zucker has exhibited alongside artists such as Agnes Martin and Brice Marden, Barry Le Va at the pioneering Bykert Gallery in the 1960s and 70’s as a process artist and conceptual artist. He also greatly influenced Chuck Close and many younger artists with his storytelling and the experimental mediums he employed. Holly Solomon represented him in the 80’s followed by Kasmin and Marlborough. Zucker’s work is in extensive public collections including: The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C., The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Tel Aviv Museum, Israel, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, The Brooklyn Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and many others around the world.