CHICAGO, IL.- The Art Institute of Chicago announced H. C. Westermann: Anchor Clanker which will be on view May 17, 2025 through May 17, 2026. The exhibition is the largest gathering of sculptures by American artist H.C. Westermann in Chicago in more than 20 years. Visitors will have an opportunity to see Westermann’s use of a wide-range of materials, but the show highlights his true passion with his dedication to woodworking.

Westermann was a true artist from the beginning, but aside from being a talented woodworker he had many interests, and joined the marines early in his life, which later influenced his career. He studied twice at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, attending after his service in World War II and then again after his service in the Korean War. In World War II, he served on the USS Enterprise and witnessed violence that shaped his worldview and guided his artwork. Inspired by his time at sea, he was known to use the symbol of an anchor, either alone or alongside his initials, as his signature.

“Westermann combined his mastery of materials—especially wood—philosophizing, wit, and wordplay to communicate a worldview that resonated with many Americans in the post-war era.” said Giampaolo Bianconi, Dittmer Associate Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art. “I hope visitors also appreciate that his depth of experience, rambunctious sense of humor, and dedication to craft truly influenced a generation of artists from Chicago to Los Angeles and beyond.”

Westermann’s work has been grouped among the most consequential artists of the 20th century. His ability to traverse so many historical contexts is a testament to his independence as an artist. In New York, he participated in various exhibitions dedicated to New Realism, Assemblage, and Surrealism. While fellow artist Donald Judd identified him as a key maker of “Specific Objects” in 1963, Westermann’s openness to mass culture has often grouped him with contemporaneous Pop Art, and in 1972 he was included alongside major international Conceptual artists in the exhibition Documenta V.

Anchor Clanker is presented on the occasion of a generous gift of 17 Westermann sculptures from the Estate of Alan and Dorothy Press. For more than forty years, Alan and Dorothy helped the museum acquire more than fifty works of art, a demonstration of philanthropy that culminated in 2023 with this monumental gift of seventeen iconic sculptures by Westermann.

H. C. Westermann: Anchor Clanker is curated by Giampaolo Bianconi, Dittmer Associate Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog with essays by Giampaolo Bianconi and Thea Liberty Nichols, associate research curator, Modern and Contemporary Art.