Peter Agostini

The works synthesize both a world of reality and one of fantasy, shuttling freely between the two. The sculptor is a protean talent, allowing his objects to assume many forms and to follow multiple stylistic directions. But for all the differences in the various sculptures, his hand is eminently recognizable. Largely self-taught, Agostini's early influences included both Elie Nadelman and Alberto Giacometti, but the work he is best known for is characterized by a surreal, even humorous idiosyncratic style that molded "found art," from "'frozen life' pieces, such as clotheslines, pillows, and squeezed inner tubes as well as work that suggested more turbulent themes, such as hurricanes and 'action horses' in plaster." Describing his own work, Agostini emphasized feeling over form: That is the prime thing—to generate “up”—leverage, elevation. The balloons rising, clothes on a line being picked up by the wind. The same with my horses. Whatever use they are, my horses are about flight, bursting out.

Peter Agostini studied at Leonardo da Vinci Art School. The field of work recorded is art of sculpture. Employment is recorded with Columbia University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Parsons School of Design. Work by Peter Agostini is recorded in the collections of Museum of Modern Art, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Ackland Art Museum and Whitney Museum of American Art. Distinctions recorded are Guggenheim Fellowship.

• Name — Peter Agostini • Born — February 13, 1913 • Died — March 27, 1993 • Education — Leonardo da Vinci Art School (1935-1936), largely self-taught • Known for — Sculpture • Children — Diana Agostini Whelan, Celine November • Style — Pop Art; New York School • Notable Works — Plaster cast sculptures of everyday objects: beer cans, eggs, pillows, and balloons • Birthplace — Hell's Kitchen, New York City • Place of death — New York City • Movement — Expressionism • Elected — National Academy of Design, 1990

In 1939, Agostini joined the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project where he worked as both a mold-maker for other sculptors and as a mannequin-maker. Both jobs gave Agostini valuable experience with "'quick-setting plaster,' and helped him hit upon a way of casting directly from objects which bypassed the needed for modeling and emphasized the free, flowing properties of both the medium and the forms he chose." In 1959, Agostini held his first one-man show at the Galerie Grimaud. In 1960, he began showing at the Stephen Radich Gallery and, over the next few years, was celebrated by Time and ArtNews and participated in the 1964 World’s Fair exhibition, alongside Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Mallary." That same year, Agostini was also a recipient of a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. In 1990, Agostini was elected a full member of the National Academy of Design. His work would go on to be exhibited in four Whitney Biennial shows and, by the end of his career, he had participated in 25 solo shows and more than 100 group shows world-wide. Agostini taught sculpture and painting at multiple institutions, including the New York Studio School, Columbia University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the Parsons School of Design. Watercolorist Ellen Murray studied with Agostini.

Agostini had less than two years of formal training (1935-1936) at the tuition-free "New Deal" Leonardo da Vinci Art School where he became friends with artists George Spaventa and Nicholas Carone.

A handful of the NYC-based galleries Agostini was associated with include: • Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery • Galerie Grimaud • Stephen Radich Gallery • Anita Shapolsky Gallery • Olaf Clasen Gallery • Salander O’Reilly Gallery • Bernice Steinbaum Gallery • Zabriskie Gallery

Peter Agostini is the father of Diana Agostini Whelan of New York City and Celine November of New Jersey.

Peter Agostini worked in art of sculpture. He was employed by Columbia University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Parsons School of Design.

Agostini's work has been collected by several notable institutions, including the: • Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NYC • Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC • Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC • Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), NYC • Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford, CT • Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota • Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC