Sculptors Guild
Sculptors Guild, a society of sculptors[1] who banded together to promote public interest in contemporary sculpture, was founded in 1937. Signatories to the original corporation papers (Sculptors Guild, Inc.) were Sonia Gordon Brown, Berta Margoulies, Aaron J. Goodelman, Chaim Gross (who became the first President), Minna Harkavy, Milton Horn, Concetta Scaravaglione, Warren Wheelock, and William Zorach. The inaugural exhibit of the Guild was held April 12 - May 31, 1938, on a vacant lot at Park Avenue and 39th St. This outdoor exhibit, the first of its kind in New York City, hosted 40,000 visitors paying an admission price of ten cents to view the work. Owing to the tremendous success of this first exhibit, the Brooklyn Museum held an exhibit of contemporary American sculpture by Guild members, October 21- November 27, 1938.
The 57 Founding Members of the Sculptors Guild were:
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The Sculptors Guild continues today as an advocacy organization with a diverse membership. Activities have expanded to include the annual “dressing” of the windows of Saks 5th Avenue, NYC, and participation in exhibitions abroad, such as the 1993 exhibition in Kyoto, Japan, and the 2008 international art fairs at Art Cologne and Supermarket Stockholm. The Sculptors Guild has a presence on New York’s historic Governors Island, with annual indoor and outdoor exhibitions, carving workshops and gallery talks. In 2010 the Sculptors Guild opened a gallery space and office on the second floor at 55 Washington Street in Dumbo, Brooklyn and now presents at Housatonic Museum. Membership is by invitation and/or submission to the Admissions Committee.
