DepartmentUnited States & Canada
Philadelphia Wireman Sculpture
NameSculpture
Artist
Philadelphia Wireman
Dateca. 1970-1975
Place madePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North America
MediumMetal wire, plastic, paper, rubber
Dimensionssculpture height on base: 4 1/8 × 1 3/8 × 1 3/8 in. (10.4 × 3.5 × 3.5 cm)
sculpture only: 3 9/16 × 2 5/8 × 1 1/2 in. (9 × 6.6 × 3.8 cm)
sculpture only: 3 9/16 × 2 5/8 × 1 1/2 in. (9 × 6.6 × 3.8 cm)
Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift in recognition of Janet Fleisher, A.2020.17.1
Object numberA.2020.17.1
ProvenanceThrough inheritance to Janet Fleisher Investment Corp., 2010
Purchased from Robert Leitch by Janet Fleisher Gallery, 1985
Found discarded in Philadelphia by Robert Leitch, 1982
This gift from the estate of Janet Fleisher consists of multiple works by two self-taught artists—The Philadelphia Wireman and Purvis Young--whom Janet Fleisher represented in her gallery in Philadelphia. Fleisher opened the Janet Fleisher Gallery near Rittenhouse Square in the mid-1960s and operated it for more than 30 years, until her retirement in 1996. She showed an eclectic variety of work, including work by self-taught or “outsider” artists, one of the earliest galleries to champion this genre of work. Janet Fleisher passed away in 2010.
Description,lThis sculpture is comprised of wire, rubber bands, coated electrical wire, paper, cellophane tape, toothpick, and a nail. The body of the piece is rolled paper taped at the top with rubber bands attaching the paper, nail, and coated wire to the oxidized wire frame. Sculpture is set on custom black metal base.
