John Chamberlain

(1927–2011)

John Chamberlain was born in Rochester, Indiana, in 1927. Chamberlain died in New York City in 2011.

Art

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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Red Drawing with Kline in Mind, 1958
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An assemblage of many blue, green, yellow, and noncolored metallic parts rest on a metallic stool above a wooden floor and in front of a white background. — John Chamberlain

Wellsroot, 1959
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Light-green arrangment of metal with green and red markings resting on steel plates. — John Chamberlain

Manitou, 1959
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Red-brown arrangement of metal resting on wooden block. — John Chamberlain

H. and S. Roth, 1959 c.
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A crumpled-and-folded, white, metallic object with red details rests on a wooden floor in front of a white background. — John Chamberlain

Hidden Face, 1962
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A blue-green diamond shape features two lines that are bent at ninety-degree angles. It hangs on a white wall above a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Conrad, 1964
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Square, sparkly red-orange painting overlaid with two 3 x 3 grids of dark green squares at center left and pink squares at center right. — John Chamberlain

Crystals, 1965
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It Ain't Cheap, 1965
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Square, black-speckled painting overlaid with two intersecting grids of 3 x 3 squares, blue atop purple. — John Chamberlain

Tom and Jerry, 1965
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Square, green-speckled painting overlaid with two 3 x 3 grids of dark orange squares at center left and sparkly red squares at center right. — John Chamberlain

Sensations, 1965
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Lovin' Spoonful, 1965
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Maroon diamond with central grid of overlaid blue, sparkly silver, and black squares. — John Chamberlain

Kinks, 1965
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Blue diamond with central grid of lighter blue and sparkly green squares. — John Chamberlain

Gary Lewis and the Playboys, 1965
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A round brown and silver metal sculpture in front of a white wall. — John Chamberlain

Royal Ventor, 1967
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A sculpture made of brown and silver metal parts that twist together rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Ultrafull Private, 1967
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Folded, beige, foam form. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 1, 1967
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Folded, beige, foam form. — John Chamberlain

Lop Nor, 1967
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Folded, beige, foam form. — John Chamberlain

Soopad, 1967
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A crumpled sculpture made of black metal rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Norma Jean Risen, 1967/1984
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Off-white paper crushed into a cylindrical shape lying on its side. — John Chamberlain

Penthouse #50, 1969
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Crushed gold-colored paper with dark brown marks. — John Chamberlain

Penthouse #49, 1969
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Crushed gold-colored paper streaked with dark brown marks and pink dots. — John Chamberlain

Penthouse #48, 1969
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Crushed pink and light brown paper streaked with dark brown marks. — John Chamberlain

Penthouse #46, 1969
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Crushed gold-colored paper with dark brown marks at top and pink spots in the middle. — John Chamberlain

Penthouse #47, 1969
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Folded, beige, foam form with various multicolored markings. — John Chamberlain

A, 1969–70
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A folded, cone-shaped, iridescent, glass object rests on a reflective, cement surface in front of a white background. — John Chamberlain

Gallup, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form with various multicolored markings. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 6, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form with dark markings on its underside. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 7, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form with various red markings. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 8, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form with various multicolored markings. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 9, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form resembling a barrel of hay. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 5, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form with red speckles and various red-hued markings. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 4, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 3, 1970
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Folded, beige, foam form. — John Chamberlain

Stuffed Dog 2, 1970
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Glass, prism-like mass with blue hues. — John Chamberlain

Luna, Luna, Luna (In Memory of Elaine Chamberlain), 1970
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A foam square with curved forms carved into its top rests on a wooden floor in front of a white background. — John Chamberlain

Table Sandwich, 1970
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A foam square with curved forms carved into its top rests on a wooden floor in front of a white background. — John Chamberlain

Table Sandwich, 1970
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Folded, metallic form. — John Chamberlain

Le Molé, 1971
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A crumpled ball-like sculpture made of reflective silvery green metal rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Lucy and Ricky, 1973
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A crumpled ball-like sculpture made from reflective silvery green metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Joe and Mary, 1973
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Kiss, 1974 c.
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A diagonally mounted sculpture made red, yellow, green, and white metal parts hangs on a white wall. — John Chamberlain

Daddy-O-Springs, 1975
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A columnar sculpture made of red metal parts that twist together rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Toasted Hitlers (from E.J.), 1977
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A vertically oriented sculpture made of multicolored metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Rainier Falls, 1977
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A squat, angular sculpture made of white and blue metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Flufft, 1977
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Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Towns of My Ancestors, 1978
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...and his hair was perfect, 1978
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Crushed yellow metal cylinder with mauve, pink, white, and blue splotches, the inside painted green. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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Crushed yellow metal cylinder with navy, turquoise, and red splotches. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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Crushed metal cylinder painted red, with splotches of turquoise and white. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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Crushed metal cylinder painted green, with black, red, cream, and blue splotches of paint. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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Crumpled metal cylinder painted pastel blue, pink, green, and yellow. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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Angular crumpled metal object, painted sparkly purple with some small orange splotches. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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Crumpled red metal cylinder. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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Small arrangement of metal in red, green, blue, and purple. — John Chamberlain

Socket, 1978
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A columnar sculpture made of red metal parts that twist together rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

SWIFT WI T, 1979
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A large-scale, couch-like object is covered with a soft white material in a room with wooden floors and many windows. Two wooden structures containing TVs sit at opposite ends of the couch and face each other. — John Chamberlain

American Barge, 1979
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Portrait of a Nude with a Chrome Fan, 1979
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A vertical and sheet-like sculpture made of multicolored metal parts that twist together rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Chickmeat, 1979
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A vertically oriented sculpture with three standing sections made of multicolored metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Hit Height Lear, 1979
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An oblong red, white, and silver sculpture made of metal is placed in a white and brick room. — John Chamberlain

Luftschloss, 1979
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Softer Sticks, 1979
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A crumpled-and-folded, white-and-yellow, metallic object rests on a wooden floor in front of a white background. — John Chamberlain

The Hot Lady from Bristol, 1979
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A crumpled-and-folded metallic object in white, brown, silver, and various shades of red rests on a wooden floor in front of a white background. — John Chamberlain

Three-Cornered Desire, 1979
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A columnar sculpture made of red, silver, white, and dark red metal parts that twist together rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Two Dark Ladies, 1979
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Flappe, 1980
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Flappe, 1980
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A vertically oriented sculpture made of red, blue, beige, and silver metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Black Satin Custard, 1980
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A vertical sculpture composed of curved yellow and orange metal is placed against a white wall. — John Chamberlain

Coup d'Soup, 1980
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Memorial to Lost Souls at Sea, 1980–81
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A squat sculpture made of red, pink, green, blue, and white metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Voyage en Douce, 1980–81
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A large-scale, couch-like object is covered with a soft white material in a room with wooden floors and large square windows. — John Chamberlain

Thordis' Barge, 1980–81
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A box-shaped sculpture made of yellow, blue, and silver metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Pigmeat's E b Bluesong, 1981
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A horizontally oriented, long sculpture made of blue, red, and multicolored metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Gondola Herman Melville, 1981
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A long, low-lying sculpture made of red, dark blue, and green metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Gondola Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1981
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A long, low-lying sculpture made of red, white, yellow, and multicolored metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Gondola W. H. Auden, 1981
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Grandma's Hat, 1981
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Stump-like, beige foam form resting on multiple, multicolored carpet squares of various sizes. — John Chamberlain

Mesa, 1981
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Placeholder — John Chamberlain

Slippery Axis, 1981
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A sculpture made of red, pink, yellow, green, blue, gray, black, and white metal parts that twist together rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Slow Dancing to the News, 1981
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A sculpture made of purple, green, and yellow metal parts that twist together rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Stoneyknob, 1981
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A long, low-lying sculpture made of red, blue, green, and white metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Gondola T. S. Eliot, 1981
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Winter Editions (Cocola PP), 1981
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A vertically oriented sculpture made of red, white, and silver-striped red metal parts rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

King King Minor, 1982
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Many crumpled-and-folded metallic objects that have been painted in various colors and patterns are lined up, placed on a cement floor, and rest against a white wall. — John Chamberlain

The Line Up (Dedicated to the Sarasota Police Department), 1982
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A series of long, spiky, black, metal sculptures are arranged in parallel lines on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Dooms Day Flotilla, 1982
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A vertically oriented sculpture made of white metal parts that are twisted around an iridescent metal center rests on a wooden floor. — John Chamberlain

Daddy in the Dark, 1988
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Freestanding tall curtain-like sculpture composed of multicolored thin, twisting vertical metal strips. — John Chamberlain

The Privet, 1997
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Exhibitions and Projects

A crumpled-and-folded metallic object in white, brown, silver, and various shades of red rests on a wooden floor in front of a white background. — Exhibition

John Chamberlain

Long-term view, Dia Beacon
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Chamberlain_DFAI_06_Sensations crop — Exhibition

John Chamberlain: It Ain’t Cheap

January 12, 2013–April 27, 2014, Dia Bridgehampton
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[For old Chelsea installation photo... collection image TK] — Exhibition

John Chamberlain: Gondolas (1981-1985) and Dooms Day Flotilla (1982)

April 5, 1990–March 3, 1991, Dia Chelsea
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Books

CHA_for web — Photo: Ethan Harrison

John Chamberlain: Gondolas and Dooms Day Flotilla

This catalogue documents the exhibition of sculptures at Dia Center for the Arts, New York, April 5, 1990–March 3, 1991. Interviews with John Chamberlain by Julie Sylvester and Lawrence Weiner.

Watch & Listen

Christopher Williams on John Chamberlain's Foam Sculptures

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Amy Sillman on John Chamberlain

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Sillman-chamberlain — Amy Sillman on John Chamberlain
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