New exhibit at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art uses everyday items to provoke thought

By Georgie Hager, Staff Writer

Published Oct 17, 2023

The Amon Carter Museum of American Art is featuring the work of Louise Nevelson.

The Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas recently debuted the exhibition titled “The World Outside: Louise Nevelson at Midcentury.”

This is one of the first exhibitions exclusively showcasing works from across the country by artist Louise Nevelson, according to the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Its innovative, experimental and thought-provoking works have attracted a large audience.

Shirley Reece-Hughes, the exhibition curator, said Nevelson’s iconic works captured the essence of the postwar era, and her push for women’s recognition in the art world and interest in environmental consciousness challenged the norms of art.

A few sculptures highlighting the “Community Builders” section of the Nevelson exhibit. These works display Nevelson’s iconic form of art. (Photo: Georgie Hager/ Staff writer)

The exhibition is organized into themed sections to guide viewers through the collection of sculptures and prints by the famed postwar American artist. The layout displays how each set of works connects to different parts of Nevelson’s identity.

There are five sections of the exhibit including “The Choreographer,” “The Visionary,” “The Environmentalist,” “The Community Builder” and “The Printmaker.” Each of the five sections highlights different ideas and mediums Nevelson used in her works throughout her artistic career. These different sections also highlight different time periods of experimentation for the artist.

The exhibition opened on Sept. 8 and will remain on display until Jan. 7, 2024. There are exhibition hosts available on site from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to offer visitors answers to questions about the artwork, guidance through the exhibit and overall insight into the artist and her works.

Two print works from the “Printmaker” collection of the exhibit, showcasing Nevelson’s diversity and experimentation in medium. (Photo: Georgie Hager/ Staff writer)

Carla Johnson, a volunteer Carter Exhibition Host, said one thing that makes the Nevelson exhibit so different from others in the museum is that it has a section featuring a distinct type of work that Nevelson was one of the first artists ever to create.

According to the Louise Nevelson Foundation, Nevelson is known for her use of everyday materials such as found wood, Cor-Ten steel, aluminum, and plexiglass to create sculptures allowing “the visitor passage through her world of the mysterious, of the fourth dimension.”

The exhibition is not limited to Nevelson’s signature sculptures but also features a wide variety of other artwork including wallworks, installations and prints.

The outside of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. (Photo: Georgie Hager/ Staff writer)

The Carter museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free to the public every day.