Richard Nonas, sculptor who merged anthropology with minimalism, dies at 85

Richard Nonas, an American sculptor and anthropologist, passed away at the age of 85, as reported by P420 Art Gallery in Bologna. He was born in New York in 1936 and pursued studies in literature and anthropology at various institutions. His career as an anthropologist took him to Latin America, Canada, Mexico, and Southern Arizona. In the 1960s, he transitioned to art, focusing on the manipulation of materials. After spending time in Paris, he returned to New York in the 1970s, producing minimalist works rich in emotional resonance. His 2017 installation at Chiesa della Spina in Pisa featured 14 iron parallelepipeds, which changed perceptions of space. Nonas believed that anthropology fostered skepticism about human existence, which he expressed through his sculptures, conveying intricate emotions beyond language.