Bill Bollinger (b. 1939-1988)

Bill Bollinger (1939-1988), who's first retrospective exhibition is currently on view at the Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, came into prominence in the late 1960's and has been regarded as one of the most important sculptors of his generation alongside Bruce Nauman, Eva Hesse, Richard Serra, and Robert Smithson. His work was selected for the highly influential exhibition, When Attitudes Become Form, curated by Harald Szeemann and held at the Kunsthalle Bern in 1969.
Bollinger created an oeuvre characterized by his delicate handling of mechanically manufactured materials. Working with aluminum, rubber, ropes, cables and wire netting, Bollinger produced works that were radical, direct and elegant. Before becoming an artist, Bollinger studied aeronautical engineering at Brown University. This interest and passion certainly carried through to Bollinger's works as he explored the concepts and notions of balance and gravity through the industrially crafted materials with which the artist worked.