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.
"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
"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
"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
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
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
$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
$15,650
Small 2 Rods
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Inscribed with artist's number on base
Metal
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
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
23" Sound Sculpture
By Val Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Inscribed with artist's number on base
Metal
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
$905
H 11 in W 6 in D 6 in
Noteworthy - Original Contemporary Expressive Geometric Abstract Metal Sculpture
By Granville Beals
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. Concerned with form and abstraction, he does not merely manipula...
Metal, Steel
Spray
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Harry Bertoia Spray 1979 (year completed) Steel wire, bronze 37 h x 13 dia in. Sold with a certificate of authenticity from the Harry Bertoia Foundation and a...
Bronze, Steel
$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
$2,800
H 17 in W 16 in D 11 in
Raspberry 2 - Red Abstract Circles Contemporary Metal Free Standing Sculpture
By Granville Beals
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. Concerned with form and abstraction, he does not merely manipula...
Metal, Steel
$14,500
H 55 in W 25 in D 22 in
Embrasement V - Abstract Steel Sculpture, Contemporary
By Claude Millette
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary metal floor sculpture is geometric in form. Claude Millette is internationally recognized for his distinctive, contemporary sculptures. The Quebec artist’s provoc...
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
$950
H 6.5 in W 4.5 in D 4.5 in
Rare Antique Judaica Hanging Bronze Jewish Synagogue or Temple Oil Lamp w Chain
Located in Surfside, FL
6.5 X 4.5 X 4.5 18" chain Antique Judaica brass hanging Sabbath or Synagogue Oil Lamp with seven wick oil reservoir. Heavy brass or bronze chain and hook for hanging. Estimated to the 19th century or earlier. there are no markings but similar pieces have been in the Bezalel Museum collection and the Israel Museum collection and the Jewish Museum collection in New York city.. Judaic Shabbat...
Brass, Bronze
$13,700
H 97 in W 30 in D 12 in
Cloudstack - Large Oversized Red Contemporary Geometric Metal Steel Sculpture
By Granville Beals
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. Concerned with form and abstraction, he does not merely manipula...
Metal, Steel
$11,500
H 98 in W 18 in D 30 in
Champagne Afternoon - Abstract Sculpture, Outdoor, Steel and Glass, 2010+
By Susan Rankin
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Like flowers in a garden, Susan Rankin’s beautiful glass columns appear to sway in the breeze. An avid gardener, Rankin has created a series of outdoor sculptures inspired by the for...
Steel
$2,400
H 22 in W 6 in D 10 in
Hi-Beam 1 - Modern Steel Geometric Sculpture, Abstract, Signed Art
By Granville Beals
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by dance and weightlessness, Granville Beals' industrial metal sculptures are primarily about relationships. Concerned with form and abstraction, he does not merely manipula...
Metal, Steel
$3,050
H 33 in W 20 in D 14 in
Together Bound - Original Medium Size Abstract Organic Form Redwood Sculpture
By Joe Garnero
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Joe Garnero’s medium of choice for his winding abstract wood sculptures is reclaimed Redwood roots, which he finds along the northern California coast. The distinct curving shapes of...
Steel
$3,750
H 9 in W 20 in D 2 in
Woven Plane - Abstract Geometric Form, Hand Painted Welded Steel Wall Sculpture
By Chris Hill
Located in Chicago, IL
This dynamic wall sculpture is created from sheets of steel, welded together in an abstract geometric pattern. Muted shades of blue, grey, purp...
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