Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California, in 1949. In the 1950s, his family moved from California to Pennsylvania, where he has lived and worked ever since.
In the 1960s, Bertoia studied mechanical engineering at Indiana Institute of Technology in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. In 1969, he was awarded “Speaker of the Year” at Indiana Tech. In 1971, he was released from Ft. Dix, New Jersey, from the US Army to return back to Pennsylvania.
Bertoia started working at a farm near his home, and soon afterward, his father, Harry Bertoia, asked him to work at Bertoia Studio with him. He worked with his father from 1972–78. The “sound sculpture” environment, which Harry continued to focus on for 10 years beginning in 1968, is trademarked “Sonambient.” Harry and Val installed large-scale commissioned metal sculptures, and Harry was amazed with his son’s level of precision and engineering abilities and often asked his advice.
In the late 1970s, Harry and Val made Bertoia sound sculptures for distribution worldwide. During those six years, Val worked on his own projects, which included wind-electric systems as derivatives of kinetic sculpture models. Harry was an intuitive engineer, and Val's wind systems, the heights of which reached over 90 feet, were refined by Harry and became well-balanced with a U.S. patent.
In 1978, continuing where Harry left off — and with the encouragement of his mother, Brigitta Bertoia — Val proceeded with the sculpture business of his father's legacy. Val Bertoia sculptures made after November 1978, when Harry died, are numbered, starting with “B-01.”
Find authentic Val Bertoia sculptures and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Val Bertoia Sonambient Kinetic Sculpture Titled "Sound of V" in Bronze
By Val Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
This sculpture is titled "Sound of V" and is crafted from 60 silicon-bronze rods affixed with silver to a solid brass base. The work was created in 2014 by Val Bertoia at the Bertoia...
Brass, Bronze
Val Bertoia Sonambient Sound Sculpture Titled "Sounds Like a Tall Tower"
By Val Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
This sculpture is titled "Sounds Like A Tall Tower" and is crafted from 49 silicon-bronze rods affixed with silver to a solid brass base. The work was created in 2014 by Val Bertoia ...
Brass, Bronze
$15,000
Large Val Bertoia Sonambient Sculpture Titled "2 Walking Squares for Sounds"
By Val Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
This sculpture is titled "2 Walking Squares for Sounds" and is crafted from 60 beryllium-copper rods affixed with silver to a solid brass base in two columns. The work was created in...
Brass, Bronze
50 Rods on a Curve
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Inscribed with artist's number on base
Metal
23" Sound Sculpture
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Inscribed with artist's number on base
Metal
"Steel Rods with Brass Cylinder Chimes"
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California in 1949. In the 1950s, his family moved from California to Pennsylvania where he has lived and worked here ever since. In the1960s, V...
Brass, Steel
"Array of Steel Rods with Brass Chimes"
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California in 1949. In the 1950s, his family moved from California to Pennsylvania where he has lived and worked here ever since. In the1960s, V...
Brass, Steel
Spray Sound Sculpture
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Val Bertoia (b. 1949) Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California in 1949 to the artist, Harry Bertoia and his wife, Brigitta Valentiner. The family relocated to Pennsylvania in the 1950s where Bertoia has lived and worked since. In the1960s, Bertoia attended the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After his release from the US Army in Fort Dix, NJ, Bertoia returned to Pennsylvania and began to work at Bertoia Studio with his father. Val worked extensively with his father from 1972 to 1978. The two primarily worked on his father’s Sound Sculpture...
Metal
$15,650
Small 2 Rods
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Inscribed with artist's number on base
Metal
"Tube Shape Array with Steel Spokes"
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California in 1949. In the 1950s, his family moved from California to Pennsylvania where he has lived and worked here ever since. In the1960s, V...
Brass, Steel
Bronze Fountain Sculpture
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Val Bertoia (born 1949) Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California in 1949. In the 1950s, his family moved from Cali...
Bronze
Copper Wall Relief
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Val Bertoia (b. 1949) Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California in 1949 to the artist, Harry Bertoia and his wife, Brigitta Valentiner. The family relocated to Pennsylvania i...
Copper
$9,800
H 27 in W 26 in D 6 in
Flourish II - white, textured, abstract, modernist, layered glass frit sculpture
By Cheryl Wilson Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Like a glacial wave building momentum before cresting, delicate layers of glass frit have been fired into a striking circular band that overlays itself exuding quiet fluidity. Wilso...
Metal, Steel
$6,178
H 28.75 in Dm 13.39 in
Close to Heart 1 & 2 - Wood sculpture by Zlata Kornilova
By Zlata Kornilova
Located in Paris, FR
Sculpture Close to Heart 1 & 2 Limited edition of 12 (each sculpture) Dimensions: - Close to heart 1 (black): H. 73. x D. 34 cm - Close to heart 2 (natural): H. 82. x D. 22 cm Medi...
Steel
$4,500
H 18 in W 21 in D 22 in
Corten Steel Sculpture Oleg Sohanievich Non Conformist Avant Garde Ukrainian
By Oleg Sohanievich
Located in Surfside, FL
Oleg Sohanievich (Soviet Ukrainian, American 1935-2017) Steel plates and rods Stress Steel Sculpture, 1997, Hand signed and dated Oleg Sohanievich '97, Dimensions: 18 1/2" h., 21" ...
Steel
Syrene. By Victor Minko. Bronze. 50x24x15 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Viktor Mikhailovich Minko 1967 - Born in Smorgon, Belarus. 1996 - Graduated from the Belarusian Academy of Arts, Sculpture Department. 1996 - Soros Foundation Grand Prize. 2005 - "Go...
Bronze
$950
H 11 in W 8 in D 8 in
Rare Antique Judaica Hanging Bronze Jewish Synagogue or Temple Oil Lamp w Chain
Located in Surfside, FL
Judaica Shabbat Continental Hanging Solid Brass Oil Lamp with Central Six Pointed Jewish Star Shaped Body Dimensions Approx: with Chain 23"H x 8 11 x 8 x 8 chain is 22" long Antique...
Brass, Bronze
$45,745
H 53.15 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Viga 2 by Tom Price - Abstract sculpture, wood, future, synthetic, mineral, life
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Viga 2 is a sculpture by contemporary artist Tom Price. This sculpture is made of resin, tar, steel, wood, dimensions are 135 × 45 × 45 cm (53.1 × 17.7 × 17.7 in). The indicated dime...
Steel
Brutalist Wall Sculpture
Located in Milford, NH
A wonderful abstract brutalist welded and torch cut steel wall sculpture with many points and a burnished finish, by 20th century California artist Tony Melendy...
Metal, Steel
$115,000
H 61 in W 61 in D 42 in
A Cappella - large, contemporary, abstract, bronze and steel outdoor sculpture
By David Chamberlain
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This lyrical and elegant contemporary sculpture is by David Chamberlain whose work is collected and admired around the world. Hand forged in patinated bronze and steel, the flowing c...
Bronze, Steel
$125,127
H 104.73 in W 27.56 in D 23.63 in
Signs and Writings No. 2, 8.7 ft high abstract bronze sculpture, outdoor art
By Martine Demal
Located in Paris, FR
Signs and Writings No. 2 is a monumental bronze sculpture by contemporary artist Martine Demal, dimensions of the bronze sculpture: 236 H x 70 cm L x 45 cm D, dimensions of the brass...
Bronze
$16,000
H 22 in W 18 in D 11 in
"Guided Spirit" (maquette), Abstract, Bronze Metal Sculpture, Tabletop Size
By Kevin Barrett
Located in New York, NY
"Guided Spirit" (maquette) Abstract, Tabletop Size, Metal Sculpture by Kevin Barrett Bronze Kevin Barrett is noted for creating unique, rhythmic, abstract indoor and outdoor sculptu...
Metal, Bronze
Grand Kabuki Stainless Steel Abstract Brutalist Sculpture
By Alfred Van Loen
Located in Surfside, FL
Alfred Van Loen 1978 (1968 in casting?) signed 18 1/2" x 5 1/2" abstract stainless steel sculpture "Grand Kabucki", mounted on wood base, overall size 21 1/2" x 7" If there are any ...
Stainless Steel
$9,800
H 27 in W 26 in D 6 in
Flourish I - white, textured, abstract, modernist, layered glass frit sculpture
By Cheryl Wilson Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Like a glacial wave building momentum before cresting, delicate layers of glass frit have been fired into a striking circular band that overlays itself exuding quiet fluidity. Wilso...
Metal, Steel
36 Rods of Sound in 4 Groups
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Signed on Base with No. B-1781 Val Bertoia (born 1949) Val Bertoia was born in Santa Monica, California in 1949. In the 1950s, his family moved from California to Pennsylvania whe...
Metal
Sold
H 15 in W 15.5 in D 6 in
Three-sided Tree (Brutalist biomorphic organic abstract bronze sculpture)
By Val Bertoia
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
VAL BERTOIA (b. 1949). Three-sided Tree, Pennsylvania, 1991; Patinated bronze. Signed and serial numbered at bottom. Unique (not an edition). 15″ x 15 1/2″ x 6″; Provenance: the art...
Bronze
Sound Sculpture
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ