Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For more than half a century, preeminent American sculptor Martin Puryear has captivated the public with works of beauty, elaborate craftsmanship, and sophisticated sources of inspiration—from global cultures, social history, and the natural world. On the occasion of the MFA’s exhibition “Martin Puryear: Nexus,” consider the artist’s complex use of rich materials and media—from sculptures in wood, leather, glass, marble, and metal to drawings and prints—and the ways his works describe a history of the forms he has encountered through a lifetime of movement, research, and study.
Ian Alteveer, Beal Family Chair, Department of Contemporary Art
For more than half a century, preeminent American sculptor Martin Puryear has captivated the public with works of beauty, elaborate craftsmanship, and sophisticated sources of inspiration—from global cultures, social history, and the natural world. On the occasion of the MFA’s exhibition “Martin Puryear: Nexus,” consider the artist’s complex use of rich materials and media—from sculptures in wood, leather, glass, marble, and metal to drawings and prints—and the ways his works describe a history of the forms he has encountered through a lifetime of movement, research, and study.
Ian Alteveer, Beal Family Chair, Department of Contemporary Art
