Off view
American, b. 1944
Blue Moon, 1970
Painted steel
8 ft. x 19 1/2 in. x 16 in. (243.8 x 49.5 x 40.6 cm)
Gift of the Ralph E. Ogden Foundation
Storm King Art Center Archives
After Gilbert Hawkins visited Storm King in 1972 and dropped off photographs of his work, Storm King co-founder Ralph Ogden sought him out and made arrangements to exhibit his Blue Moon, a steel constructivist piece, for a year. Ogden ultimately purchased and commissioned several sculptures by Hawkins, both for Storm King and for his private collection. The steel components of Blue Moon were scavenged by the artist from industrial scrap piles and a friend’s workshop. Upon seeing the circular form which sits at the pinnacle of the work, Hawkins immediately knew how to incorporate it into the assemblage. Using midnight blue automotive paint, a popular choice among early sculptors working in steel, the work was protected from rusting in Storm King’s outdoor environment. The classic tune ‘Blue Moon’ and the upward-swelling form of the sculpture inspired its title.
