Joel Shapiro

In Joel Shapiro’s exhibitions at Paula Cooper Gallery in the 1970s, diminutive sculptures in cast iron and bronze sat directly on the floor or mounted on the wall, enlarging the surrounding space with subtle manipulations of scale. The work was condensed, austere, and psychologically potent, embracing narrative with latent figuration. This exhibition revisits this important period in Shapiro’s career with a concise presentation of sculpture and work on paper from 1971 to 1980.