Original Wilfrid Zogbaum Sculpture Sketch
Charcoal on paper sketch of a sculpture Wilfrid Zogbaum designed.

Wilfrid Zogbaum, initially known as a modernist painter, later became a renowned sculptor. He came from a family with artistic ties, and his early exposure to Europe influenced his artistic development. Zogbaum studied painting and drawing at the Rhode Island School of Design and briefly attended the Yale School of Art. However, he found inspiration and guidance under the tutelage of John Sloan and later attended Hans Hofmann's school, where he served as a class monitor alongside Giorgio Cavallon and George McNeil.

Zogbaum admired Hofmann as a prophet of modern art and shared his belief in the importance of nature in artistic expression. Some of Zogbaum's paintings, such as the 1936 Untitled Abstraction, reflected the influence of the Provincetown landscape. However, in his Untitled Abstraction from around 1934-39, the connection with nature was more abstract and based on underlying structures.

In 1937, Zogbaum won a Guggenheim Fellowship that allowed him to travel to Europe, where he met influential artists such as Ben Nicholson, Naum Gabo, Wassily Kandinsky, and Fernand Léger. He also formed connections with former Bauhaus teachers in Bavaria. After his return to New York, Zogbaum independently pursued painting for two years before joining the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a photographer during World War II.

In the late 1940s, Zogbaum found success as a commercial photographer in New York but eventually decided to fully dedicate himself to art in 1948. He gained recognition as an abstract artist, exhibiting in group and solo shows during the 1950s. Zogbaum also began exploring sculpture during this period, initially as a complement to his painting. His early sculptures often depicted animals and figures, crafted from discarded machine parts and found objects, merging solid volumes with open structures.

Zogbaum taught at several universities, including the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, Southern Illinois University, and Pratt Institute in New York. Despite his affinity for nature, Zogbaum eventually ceased painting and focused solely on sculpture. His works demonstrated a variety of meanings through the integration of beach stones and other objects within abstract images.

Overall, Wilfrid Zogbaum's artistic journey encompassed his evolution from a modernist painter to a notable sculptor, influenced by his encounters with renowned artists, his appreciation for nature, and his experimentation with various materials and techniques.
Frame: 15.5"W x 13.25" Sketch: 10"W x 8"H

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