Robert B. Marcus Biography

Robert Marcus enjoys the texture, appearance, and strength of bronze. Many of his pieces originate in clay or plaster, and his life-sized works begin from wax body molds made directly from a human model. Most of his sculptural ideas, however, find their final form in bronze metal. Marcus is inspired by the flowing curves of the human form and the negative spaces they create. His work, which is highlighted by topologically interesting surfaces, ranges from wall reliefs of playful biomorphic shapes to life-sized bronze abstractions.

His sculptures “Dream,” “Dreams II,” “Jublilation,” and “You and Me,” are partial human forms in contemplative or other expressive configurations. The negative, or “missing,” parts create tension and draw the viewer into a more intimate relationship with the figures. Giving equal visual weight to both positive and negative spaces adds an additional dimension to the pieces (such as “Irving’s Wife”). “Eve” has positive and negative figures, side-by-side and meeting at their fingertips on the neutral plane. “Continuum” is a one-sided surface that appears to have three sides. Other, more playful sculptures include the two “Pochelbelles” (partly inspired by Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”) and “The Big Apple.”

Marcus has been creating indoor and outdoor bronze sculptures since 1975. He studied at the Summit Art Center in Summit, NJ and at the Johnson Sculpture Atelier in Princeton, NJ. He learned the “lost wax” method for creating bronze sculptures through visits to a number of art foundries in the New York area. Marcus taught courses in sculpture at the Somerset Art Association and the New Jersey Center for the Visual Arts in New Jersey, gave workshops in mold making and in the lost wax casting of bronze, and has taught privately. He has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and has worked as a research scientist and as a university professor in physics and nanoelectronics.

Marcus’ pieces have won prizes in multiple exhibitions in the New York area, and many of his pieces are housed in private collections in this country and in Canada.

Shows/Exhibits

• 2010 Cape Cod Museum of Art (Dennis, MA)
• 2002 Morristown Unitarian Fellowship (Morristown, NJ)
• 1991 Wilson School Art Show (Mountain Lakes, NJ)
• 1990 Bruce Museum (Greenwich, CT) 1988 Armonk Outdoor Art Show (Armonk, NY) - First Prize, Sculpture
• 1987 Joie de Vivre restaurant (Madison, NJ)
• 1987 Ben Georgia Gallery (West Orange, NJ)
• 1987 New Jersey Center for Visual Arts (Summit, NJ) - Emeriti Award of Excellence
• 1987 Somerset Art Association (Far Hills, NJ) - Second Prize, Sculpture.
• 1987 Armonk Outdoor Art Show (Armonk, NY)
• 1986 Morristown Unitarian Fellowship (Morristown, NJ)
• 1985 Salmagundi Club (New York) - First Prize, Sculpture
• 1985 Galerie Triangle (Washington, DC) - First Prize, Sculpture
• 1984 Doubletree Gallery (Montclair, NJ)

Contact

R Marcus Sculpture
3 Sulphur Springs Road
Chatham MA 02633

508-945-0832
bob@rmarcussculpture.com