
Untitled, from The New York Collection for Stockholm
1973 · Lithograph on paper
30.5 × 22.9 cm (12 1/16 × 9 1/16 in.)
Art Institute of Chicago

Richard Stankiewicz was an American sculptor who assembled welded steel constructions from industrial scrap and discarded machinery. Working primarily in the 1950s and 1960s, he transformed found metal fragments into abstract forms that retained visual traces of their former function, creating a dialogue between raw material and aesthetic intention. His practice anticipated later developments in assemblage and junk sculpture while maintaining a rigorous formal discipline. Stankiewicz's work demonstrated that industrial detritus could possess both conceptual and sculptural weight.
Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 25d ago