Archie Held
Archie Held is an internationally acclaimed artist who has been creating sculptures since the late 1970s. He holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from UCLA. Held specializes in large-scale abstract sculptures, primarily utilizing bronze and stainless steel. His work epitomizes the essence of minimalism, distilling his sculptures to their fundamental elements while evoking a sense of harmony, balance, and profound beauty. In recent years, Held has expanded his artistic repertoire to include materials such as glass and granite. He is recognized for his skillful incorporation of water as a central element, further enhancing the elegance of his designs. His extensive studio in Richmond, CA, employs a team of talented artists and metal fabricators. Held thrives on the challenge and the creative process of bringing unique site-specific projects to fruition.
Held’s sculptures have enjoyed extensive exhibition in various galleries and have been collected by notable collectors such as George Lucas, Bob Weir, Carol Burnett, Iman and David Bowie, Peter Baumann, Larry Ellison, and Melinda and Bill Gates, Charles Schwab among others.
Additionally, his work can be found in countless public and corporate collections, including Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA; Auberge du Soleil Resort in Rutherford, CA; Charles Krug Winery, Napa, CA; California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco; Salesforce in San Francisco, CA; Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and First Sky Tokyo Club in Tokyo, Japan.
Artist Statement
My body of work is the result of an ongoing inquiry into form that I began in the 1970’s. I am drawn to organic shapes in nature and forms that embody the essence of strength and growth. This is coupled with my interest in the duality of mind, the individual and the collective whole. As I often feel like a separate and quiet observer in life, as opposed to an integrated part of the larger consciousness. The amalgam of this led me to a visual dialog of forms dealing with perceived ideals (beauty), internal conflict (integrity), interactions, relationships, family and society.
From this internal conversation I strive to produce simple and elegant forms through a process of reduction, that begins with a pencil and paper. Born in sketchbooks and on scraps of paper are images that reoccur and evolve at each new attempt to render them. This simple act of drawing quiets the ongoing dialog in my mind and allows personal forms and imagery to appear.