Abstract Sculptures of DC: Sky Landscape
The American Medical Association commissioned the large sculpture for their headquarters.
Text
Located at the northeast corner of the intersection at Vermont Avenue and L Street NW, Louise Nevelson’s Sky Landscape stands out amongst the office buildings that surround it. Completed in 1983 under a commission by the American Medical Association for their office building, Nevelson’s reputation as one of the leading American abstract sculptors in the late 20th century brought her to the project.
The sculpture consists of black steel sheets and cylinders organized into different shapes, lengths, and patterns to create the sculpture’s look. Set atop a granite base, it stands at 30-feet tall in total. The sculpture is made up of two separate pieces that stand next to each other to create the overall structure. Nevelson’s history of upcycling found objects in her early work transfers to this piece in the organization of this installation, with the steel sheets seeming to stack on top of each other without appearing messy or disorganized.
This site is a stop on the Abstract Sculptures of DC tour.
