Carroll Dunham Returns to Sculpture and New Gallery at 76

At 76, artist Carroll Dunham is reinventing himself, returning to sculpture after a two-decade hiatus and switching galleries. His upcoming exhibition at Matthew Brown Gallery in New York, opening September 9, features paintings and drawings of a sculptor at work, inspired by his earlier brief foray into steel sculptures in the early 2000s. The new works depict a space-traveling artist on a planet with purple figures, and the series led him back to creating physical sculptures, which will debut at Corbett vs. Dempsey in Chicago in May. Dunham left Gladstone Gallery after 20 years, seeking a 'vibe shift,' and is preparing a retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, opening December 1. His new sculptures are made in collaboration with Brooklyn metalworker Maxwell Heiges, a process he compares to working with master printers. Dunham, known for surreal, cartoon-bright paintings, has always defied categorization, and his work often features biomorphic shapes and figures. He lives in rural Connecticut with his wife, artist Laurie Simmons, and their children include filmmaker Lena Dunham. Despite the busy year, Dunham admits the retrospective is intense, especially opening during Art Basel Miami Beach week.