Keith Sonnier

Keith Sonnier was a sculptor known for his contributions to postminimalism, as well as for his work in performance art, video, and light art. He was among the pioneering artists who introduced light into sculpture during the 1960s.

Biography of Keith Sonnier

Keith Sonnier was born in 1941 in Mamou, Louisiana. He completed his studies in 1963 at Southwestern Louisiana Institute. In 1966, he earned his MFA from Rutgers University, where he studied under Allan Kaprow, Robert Watts, and Robert Morris.

Following his graduation from Rutgers, he relocated to New York City with Jackie Winsor and several of his former classmates.

Keith Sonnier revolutionized sculpture in the late 1960s, pioneering the use of neon lights. Starting his experiments with neon in 1968, he quickly made it a signature material in his sculptural repertoire. His works commonly featured neon and fluorescent lights, along with reflective materials, aluminum, copper, glass, and wires.

Using unconventional materials that had never been employed before, Sonnier, alongside his peers Bruce Nauman, Richard Tuttle, Eva Hesse, Richard Serra, and Barry Le Va, challenged established notions of sculpture. Sonnier's explorations have included materials ranging from latex, satin, and bamboo to found objects, satellite transmitters, and video.

Sonnier's work has been featured in over 150 solo exhibitions worldwide held at various notable venues such as the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, P.S. 1 Institute for Art and Urban Resources, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Kunsthaus Bregenz, the Hall Art Foundation, Parrish Art Museum, and many more.

Keith Sonnier passed away in Southampton, NY in 2020, due to complications from MDS (Myelodysplastic syndrome).