A bit of surfboard wax, a small Dixie cup and the sun sparked an epiphany for artist Peter Alexander and began his rise through the Light and Space movement of the 1960s. After seeing wax dry into a translucent block, Alexander chose resin as his signature medium and created sculptures that appear to be constructed out of light itself.
Alexander was born in 1939 in Los Angeles. By 1966, he had studied under Estonian-born American architect Louis Kahn at the University of Pennsylvania and transferred to several universities before graduating with a bachelor’s and master's degree in fine art from UCLA. He explored the possibilities of resin throughout the 1960s. Many of his resin sculptures are monolithic and contemplative, with a mysterious air, as seen in his Cloud Boxes, which seem to trap miniature clouds within blocks.
Like his Light and Space contemporaries James Turrell, Larry Bell, Mary Corse and DeWain Valentine, Alexander wished to capture light in the form of an artistic environment. After exhibiting at Nicholas Wilder Gallery in Los Angeles and the Robert Elkon Gallery in New York, Alexander turned to painting, drawing, lithography and polaroid photography as new ways to explore the effects of light. In his sculptures, the color changed in tone and intensity based on the light source and the position of the viewer. In his later work, Alexander’s curiosity about color informed much of his art, which combined light and hues to elicit various emotions.
He died in 2020 at the age of 81. Alexander’s art has appeared in films including Erin Brockovich, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Shopgirl. The Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the San Diego Museum of Art, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Centre Pompidou in Paris have all exhibited his work.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Peter Alexander’s prints and multiples.
Untitled (Tall Black/Amber Polyester Resin Wedge), 1968
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 1968, this monumental cast polyester resin sculpture belongs to Peter Alexander's earliest and most celebrated body of work, produced during the formative years of Califor...
Resin, Polyester
Untitled (Radiating Green Square Wall Relief), 2013
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 2013, this wall-mounted urethane relief exemplifies Peter Alexander's enduring exploration of light, color, and perception. A leading figure of California's Light and Spac...
Resin, Polyester
Untitled (Yellow Polyester Resin Leaner), Circa 1965–1972
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created during Peter Alexander's pioneering exploration of cast polyester resin in the late 1960s and early 1970s, this Leaner exemplifies the body of work that established him as a ...
Resin, Polyester
$125,000
Untitled (Yellow/Amber Rectangular Box with Suspended Disc), 1968
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 1968, this cast polyester resin sculpture belongs to Peter Alexander's groundbreaking early body of work that helped define California's Light and Space movement. Drawn to...
Resin, Polyester
Untitled (Pink Vapor Wedge), 1967
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 1967, this cast polyester resin sculpture demonstrates Peter Alexander's early mastery of geometry as a vehicle for exploring light, color, and perception. During this for...
Resin, Polyester
9/8/13 (Aqua Waterfall)
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
Polyurethane
Untitled (Aqua Urethane Pyramid), 2012
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 2012, this urethane pyramid reflects Peter Alexander's continued exploration of light, color, and perception following his return to sculpture in the early twenty-first ce...
Polyurethane
Untitled (Black Urethane Wedge), circa 2006–2020
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created during Peter Alexander's return to sculpture in 2006, this urethane wedge reflects the renewed exploration of light, color, and perception that defined the final chapter of h...
Polyurethane
Untitled (White Urethane Pyramid), Circa 2006-2020
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created after Peter Alexander's return to sculpture in the 2000s, this intimate urethane pyramid distills the artist's lifelong investigation of geometry, light, and perception into ...
Resin, Polyester
Untitled (Black Polyester Resin Cube with Blue Green Rim), 1971
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 1971, this cast polyester resin cube exemplifies Peter Alexander's pioneering use of industrial materials to investigate light, color, and perception. A leading figure of ...
Resin, Polyester
Untitled (Aqua Blue Urethane Wedge), circa 2006–2020
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created during Peter Alexander's return to sculpture in 2006, this urethane wedge reflects the renewed exploration of light, color, and perception that defined the final chapter of h...
Polyurethane
Untitled (Radiating Pink Square Urethane Relief), 2013
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 2013, this wall-mounted urethane relief reflects Peter Alexander's continued exploration of light as both material and subject. Suspended approximately two inches from the...
Resin, Polyester
$125,000
Window (Clear Polyester Resin Vapor Wedge with Yellow Tint), 1966
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Created in 1966, this cast polyester resin sculpture dates to the earliest years of Peter Alexander's pioneering experimentation with industrial resin, a material that would become s...
Resin, Polyester
Surge
By Bill Thompson
Located in Westport, CT
This beautiful minimalist sculptural work explores the evocative power monochrome color. Originally working as a painter, Thompson focused on Minimalism. In his sculptural work, mono...
Polyurethane
$91
H 7.88 in W 5.12 in D 2.37 in
Just the Two of Us Palm Wax Candle, Sculptural Design, 20 cm Tall
Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.
"Just the Two of Us" Palm Wax Candle This artsy candle Just the Two of Us is created in the shape of a ceramic sculpture by Ukrainian artist Sofia Horbachevska. The set includes wo...
Wax
Mini Drip #207
By Dan Lam
Located in Dallas, TX
1.75 x 3.75 x 2 Mixed Media 2023 Each mini is a unique and original artwork. Biomorphic sculpture that draws you to play with it.
Resin, Foam, Polyurethane
Don Frost, BM, Sculpture, 2018
By Don Frost
Located in Greenwich, CT
BM Fiberglass / Carbon Fibre impregnated with catalysed polyester resin Powder filled acrylic lacquer on filled polyester resin base 27" x 10" x 11" "I am an artist, a sculptor not ...
Resin, Fiberglass, Polyester, Lacquer
Don Frost, Seeker, Sculpture 2018
By Don Frost
Located in Greenwich, CT
Seeker Fiberglass / Carbon Fibre impregnated with catalysed polyester resin Graphite filled acrylic laquor on filled polyester resin base 35 x 10 x 12 "I am an artist, a sculptor n...
Resin, Fiberglass, Polyester, Lacquer
Black and White (Minimalist Abstract 3D Wall Sculpture)
By Dai Ban
Located in Hudson, NY
18 x 24 x 8 inches styrofoam and venetian plaster Black and white three dimensional floating high contrast wall sculpture with clean lines Dai Ban presents new series of minimalis...
Plaster, Polyurethane
Balancing Block Votive Sculpture, 2020
By Dena Paige Fischer
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Hydrocal, concrete, paint and polyurethane Hand-signed by artist Frame: Not included This work includes a certificate of authenticity.
Concrete
Stacked Cube Votive Sculpture (Multicolored), 2020
By Dena Paige Fischer
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Concrete, paint, oil pastel and polyurethane Hand-signed by artist Frame: Not included This work includes a certificate of authenticity.
Concrete
Dom Pérignon Balloon Venus
By Jeff Koons
Located in Zurich, CH
Jeff Koons (*1955, USA) Dom Pérignon Balloon Venus, 2013 Lacquered polyurethane resin, champagne bottle and original box 49 x 50 x 36 cm (19 1/4 x 19 3/4 x 14 1/8 in.) Edition of 650...
Resin, Polyurethane
$140,000
H 56 in W 65 in D 38 in
Rope Trap /// Abstract Expressionist Female Nancy Graves Huge Metal Sculpture NY
By Nancy Graves
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Nancy Graves (American, 1939-1995) Title: "Rope Trap" *Titled, signed, and dated by Graves (inscribed into the metal) on red cylinder lower right Year: 1985 Medium: Original ...
Bronze, Metal
$4,375
H 49 in W 94.5 in D 26 in
Dishtowel Fold, 2018, polyester cord, PVC rod, stainless steel, 94.5 x 49 x26 in
By Daniel G. Hill
Located in Darien, CT
In recent years, Daniel G. Hill has been fixated on the work’s method of construction and its physical presence. During the winter of 2014, he began a new line of inquiry, translati...
Stainless Steel
$13,440Sale Price|20% Off
H 72 in W 86 in D 7 in
Contemporary Carib Mixed Media Sculpture: Interactive 21st Century Art
By Zammy Migdal
Located in Miami, FL
This installation is made up of individual metal and polyurethane painted elements that can also be purchased individually and create any design scheme. Influenced by the waters of ...
Steel
Untitled
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
Resin
Untitled
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
Resin
11/22/13
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
Polyurethane
Violet Puff
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Violet Puff, 2014 Urethane 42 x 42 inches Peter Alexander came to prominence in the 1960s Los Angeles art scene with geometric resin sculptures of simple forms and transparent hues....
Polyurethane
Pink Leaner
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Pink Leaner, 2015 Urethane 95 H x 2 W x 4.75 D inches 10/8/14 2011 Urethane 24.5 x 22.5 x 11 cm Peter Alexander came to prominence in the 1960s Los Angeles art scene with geometric...
Polyurethane
5/13/16 (Grey Box)
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
Polyurethane
Cube With Green Sphere
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
Resin
Tecate
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
5/25/14 (Ruby Bar)
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
Resin
1/14/15 (Pink Cube)
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
5/15/15 Green Yellow Leaner
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...
6/18/15 (Turquoise Leaner)
By Peter Alexander, 1939
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Among the pioneering California-based Light and Space artists, Peter Alexander has spent the course of his career focusing intensely on light and its manifold effects in his sculptur...