Joseph Cornell: The Surrealist Who Lived on Utopia Parkway
Joseph Cornell (1903–1972), an American visual artist and experimental filmmaker, was largely self-taught and associated with Surrealism, which he referred to as 'white magic.' He was born in Nyack, New York, and later resided in Bayside, Queens, where he cared for his disabled brother Robert and mother. Following his father's passing in 1917, Cornell took on door-to-door sales to collect materials for his artwork. In 1931, after viewing Surrealist pieces at the Julien Levy Gallery, he created his initial 'Shadow Boxes.' He participated in New York's first Surrealist exhibition in 1932 and produced his debut film, 'Rose Hobart,' in 1936. Cornell passed away from a heart attack on December 29, 1972. Notable works include Diane Waldman's 'Joseph Cornell: Master of Dreams' (2002) and Charles Simic's 'Dime-Store Alchemy' (2005).
Key facts
- Joseph Cornell was born on December 24, 1903 in Nyack, New York.
- He died on December 29, 1972 in Bayside, Queens, New York.
- He lived most of his life on Utopia Parkway in Bayside.
- He was self-taught and worked as a door-to-door salesman.
- He created 'Shadow Boxes' (glass-fronted assemblage boxes).
- His first film 'Rose Hobart' (1936) used footage from 'East of Borneo'.
- Salvador Dalí accused Cornell of stealing his idea for 'Rose Hobart'.
- He never traveled to Europe but reconstructed the Grand Tour from found images.
Entities
Artists
- Joseph Cornell
- Max Ernst
- Marcel Duchamp
- Roberto Sebastián Matta
- Robert Motherwell
- Salvador Dalí
- Rose Hobart
- Stan Brakhage
- Alberto Grifi
- Gianfranco Baruchello
- Jim Dine
- Robert Rauschenberg
- Jasper Johns
- Charles Simic
- Diane Waldman
- Stefano Piantini
Institutions
- Phillips Academy Andover
- Julien Levy Gallery
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Adelphi Edizioni
- Artribune
Locations
- Nyack
- New York
- Queens
- Bayside
- Utopia Parkway
- Lower Manhattan
- Madison Avenue
- New Jersey
- Italy
- Europe
- Vesuvius
- Lucerna