HARRY BERTOIA (1915-1978)

Lucia Zurkowski was a woman who was full of life, bringing a natural curiosity and creative spirit to all that she pursued.  Highly independent, Lucia carved a unique path in her life that gathered great art and close friends into her well-appointed home, and was always driven by her deep love of her Italian heritage.  With eclectic interests ranging from cooking, to horticulture, to collecting works of art by the masters, the Unforgettable Light that Lucia brought to the world was widely remembered by her friends and family, permeating all of her creative pursuits.  Exceptional works by Joan Miro and Pablo Picasso alongside elegant drawings by Matisse and Degas were complemented by robust sculpture by Harry Bertoia.  As a resident of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Harry Bertoia’s connection to southeast Michigan made it a natural fit for the collection.  His Italian heritage sealed the deal, and three exceptional sculptures by Harry Bertoia were a focal point of her home.  Her creativity extended into her fondness for flowers, and a nostalgia for the gardens she frequented in her youth was a driver of her tastes - as evidenced by the warm palette of apricot and lemon, colors of the Italian countryside, which permeated her home.  Bertoia’s phenomenal Bush sculpture captured the allure of the topiaries in the Italian landscape, rendered in green patinated bronze.  The two kinetic Sonambient sculptures added to the tactile environment of her home with their soft chimes and reverberating sounds.  Tasteful, elegant and always fun, Lucia Zurkowski was a an exceptional person that emanated an Unforgettable Light.