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Richard Serra


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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is an American sculptor, known for his large-scale, site-specific installations and sculptures made of industrial materials, particularly Cor-Ten steel. Born in 1938 in San Francisco, Serra studied at the University of California, Berkeley, and later at Yale University. He began his career in the 1960s, working with unconventional materials such as rubber, neon, and lead, before transitioning to steel in the late 1960s. Serra's work is characterized by its monumental scale, minimalist forms, and emphasis on the physical properties of materials and the viewer's experience of space. His sculptures often challenge traditional notions of sculpture by blurring the boundaries between artwork and environment, and by inviting viewers to engage with the work through movement and interaction. Some of his most notable works include Tilted Arc (1981), a controversial public sculpture in New York City that was eventually removed; Torqued Ellipses (1996-1999), a series of curved steel sculptures; and The Matter of Time (1994-2005), a permanent installation at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain. Throughout his career, Serra has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Leone d'Oro at the Venice Biennale in 2001 and the Praemium Imperiale in 2014. His work has been exhibited in major museums and institutions worldwide, cementing his status as one of the most influential and innovative sculptors of the 20th and 21st centuries.

minimalism, site-specific, Cor-Ten steel, monumental, space, experience

Helen James

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is an American artist best known for his minimalist sculptures and public art installations. He has had a prolific career spanning decades and has worked with a variety of materials including steel, lead, fibreglass, and marble. Early in his career, he was influenced by Minimalism and Conceptualism, which is reflected in some of his earliest works such as Verb List (1967-68). In the 1970s, Serra introduced the use of massive steel plates which resulted in works such as Tilted Arc (1981), Richard Serra Sculpture: Forty Years (2007), and The Matter of Time (2005). He has also been a major influence on the development of Land Art, helping to shape the movement and producing works such as North, East, South, West (1986). His sculptures have been installed all around the world and have been included in major exhibitions such as Documenta VII, the Venice Biennale, and the Whitney Biennial.

Richard Serra, Land Art, Minimalism, Conceptualism, Sculpture.

Mei Wang

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is an acclaimed American artist whose works are widely celebrated in the world of design, art, and creativity. His sculptures and installations challenge the viewer to engage with the physical and emotional experiences of the materials he utilizes, often utilizing industrial materials such as steel, rubber, and concrete. His works, such as Tilted Arc, are known for their large-scale and dramatic forms, often exploring themes of gravity, balance, and space. His works are unique in their ability to evoke profound emotions and psychological responses from viewers, and have become iconic public landmarks around the world. In addition to his sculptures and installations, Serra has also created a number of performance pieces, such as the Procession series. His works have been widely exhibited in museums and galleries around the world, and many of his sculptures are in the permanent collections of major institutions.

Richard Serra, American Artist, Sculpture, Installation, Performance Art, Minimalism.

Federica Costa

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is a celebrated American artist whose works have inspired the world of design, arts, and creativity. An important figure in the Minimalist movement, his works are characterized by their use of industrial materials such as steel, rubber, and concrete and their exploration of themes such as gravity, balance, and space. His works often challenge the viewer to engage with the physical and emotional experience of these materials and the environments they create. His site-specific works, such as Tilted Arc, are known for their large-scale and dramatic forms. His works have been widely celebrated by critics and art enthusiasts alike, establishing him as one of the most iconic and revered American artists of the 20th century.

Richard Serra, Minimalism, sculpture, abstract, installation, steel, art, public art, performance art, site-specific, nature, technology, science, emotion, physical, metaphorical, iconic, gravity, balance.

Claudia Rossetti

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is an iconic American sculptor whose work is internationally celebrated as some of the most ambitious and groundbreaking contributions to the field of contemporary sculpture. Serra works with a variety of media, including steel, rubber, concrete and with a variety of installations and performance pieces, creating artwork that is genuinely boundary-pushing and impactful. Richard Serra's sculptural pieces are noted for their iconic ability to evoke emotional, psychological and aesthetic responses from viewers and explore the connections between natural and man-made forms. His works are most notably characterized by their grandiose scale, often featuring large interlocking geometric structures that explore the relationship between gravity, mass and material. Some of Serra's most renowned works include Tilted Arc (1981), The Band (2006), and Sequel (2015).

Richard Serra, American artist, sculpture, contemporary art, installations, performance pieces, steel, rubber, concrete.

Giovanna Mancini

CITATION : "Giovanna Mancini. 'Richard Serra.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=53464 (Accessed on July 03, 2025)"

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is an internationally renowned American artist, best known for his large-scale sculptures and public artworks. His works have become iconic public landmarks, such as the Tilted Arc, a curved, 120-foot-long steel wall that was installed in New York's Federal Plaza during the 1980s. His public works also include Torqued Ellipses, a series of four tall curved sculptures in the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas. His works have been widely exhibited in museums and galleries around the world, and many of his sculptures are in the permanent collections of major institutions.

Richard Serra, sculpture, public art, Tilted Arc, Torqued Ellipses, Nasher Sculpture Center

Anna Lombardi

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is one of the most celebrated and influential sculptors of our time. His works have been exhibited in renowned institutions and galleries around the world. He is known for his large-scale steel abstract sculptures, which are often site-specific, exploring themes of gravity, balance, and space. His works, such as Tilted Arc, The Matter of Time, Torqued Ellipses, and Sequence, are highly acclaimed for their powerful yet poetic forms.

Richard Serra, sculpture, steel, installation art, public art

Valeria Marino

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is an American artist whose works excel in creating powerful aesthetical experiences that capture the attention of the viewers. He is notable for his best-known works like the Tilted Arc, a 120-foot long curved wall of steel, the Double Negative, a pair of deep trenches carved into the Nevada desert, and Torqued Ellipses, a series of spiralling steel structures. The works of Richard Serra explore the relationship between science, technology, and nature. The scale, material, and tension of his works create a sense of space that is both physical and metaphysical. His works have been widely admired and celebrated around the world, thus establishing him as one of the most influential American artist.

Richard Serra, American Artist, Tilted Arc, Double Negative, Torqued Ellipses, Steel Sculptures, Science and Technology, Nature, Metaphysical, Influential Artist.

Antonio Ferrara

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Richard Serra

Richard Serra is a renowned American Artist who has created masterpieces that have left an indelible mark on modern art. His works, often utilizing large-scale sculptures and installations, are known for demanding a profound engagement from viewers. Bold yet subtle, monumental yet intimate, his large-scale works offer a powerful physical and emotive experience. His works often make use of unusual materials that change with light and weather, inviting viewers to contemplate the experience of their own experiences. Richard Serra’s work is both iconic and outpuissant; it serves as a powerful reminder that art must be experienced first-hand.

American Artist, Richard Serra, Sculpture, Installation Art, Monumental Art

Maria Romano


Richard Serra Definition
Richard Serra on Design+Encyclopedia

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