Copyright %C2%A9 2018 James Castle Collection and Archive LP%2C All rights reserved.
Untitled (Kaleidoscope book), not dated
James Castleexpand_more
Gift of Mary and Bob Merskyexpand_more 2017.80.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
For this undated handmade book, Castle created a series of graphically complex “kaleidoscope” drawings, so named because they emulate the visual effects of a kaleidoscope, an optical instrument composed of a cylinder, multiple mirrors, and loose beads or bits of colored glass. As one gazes into a kaleidoscope and turns the rotating cylinder, light entering from the other end is reflected among the mirrors and loose materials, creating an infinite array of symmetrical patterns. Castle was fascinated by the abstract geometric configurations of the kaleidoscope (he owned several) and adapted its effects for his own invented compositions, some of which also included advertisements for commercial products.
Details
- Title
- Untitled (Kaleidoscope book)
- Artist Life
- 1899–1977
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2017.80.1
- Provenance
- (Karen Lennox Gallery, Chicago, until 2016; sold to Mersky); Robert B. Mersky, Minneapolis (2016-17); given to MIA, 2017
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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Copyright © 2018 James Castle Collection and Archive LP, All rights reserved.