August 23

August 23 is the birthdate of sculptor Louise Nevelson, known for monumental, monochromatic, wooden sculptures. Born in Czarist Russia, she came to the United States at age 3. Her sculptures are puzzle-like, intricately cut reliefs often painted in monochromatic black or white. Her inspiration was wood rather than metal, fashioning it into immersive, collage-driven sculptures composed of abstract shapes and found objects (often from the streets of New York), which she described as "environments." She gained notice in 1958 with a series of works titled “Sky Cathedral” (pictured), which often took years to create. Of this series she commented: "This is the Universe, the stars, the moon – and you and I, everyone."