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September 4 - October 17, 2026
NEIL GOODMAN
Rivers & Valleys
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Neil Goodman is a sculptor whose work is widely recognized for its careful attention to form, material, and space. Over several decades, Goodman has developed a distinctive sculptural language rooted in bronze casting and an ongoing interest in the relationship between objects and their surroundings. His sculptures combine precision with a strong sense of material presence, using shape, surface, and shadow to create works that reward close observation.
Goodman’s sculptures often begin with familiar forms drawn from tools, vessels, machinery, and architectural elements. He simplifies and reworks these references through modeling and casting, transforming them into abstract forms that retain a connection to their original sources. His work frequently explores contrasts between weight and balance, solid and open space, and smooth and textured surfaces. Carefully developed patinas further emphasize the physical character of the bronze and the process through which each sculpture is made. Goodman’s career has combined an active studio practice with a longstanding commitment to teaching. He received his BA from Indiana University Bloomington and his MFA from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. He later joined the faculty of Indiana University Northwest, where he became a founding member of the Fine Arts department and taught for nearly four decades before retiring as Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts in 2017. Goodman’s work has been presented widely in museums, galleries, and public settings across the United States. His sculpture was included in the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s landmark 1995 exhibition History of Chicago Art, 1945–1995, and his work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions. His sculptures are held in public and private collections, while major commissions can be found in civic, cultural, and academic settings throughout the US. |
Exhibition Catalog Available
In Goodman's sculptures, content arises from poetic titles; material decisions; iconographical themes; oblique art-historical allusions; balanced, graceful, often symmetrical compositions; and powerful visual metaphors. All serve in unison to embody an entire worldview; "Works that exhibit a high degree of harmony," McEvilley contended, "or mutual confirmation among the various levels of content tacitly model the real as integrated, whole, and rich in meaning, somewhat in the manner of the traditional masterpiece."
- excerpt from In the Manner of a Masterpiece by Sue Taylor
CLICK HERE for the full essay.
- excerpt from In the Manner of a Masterpiece by Sue Taylor
CLICK HERE for the full essay.
