Sculptor Martin Puryear is not an easy man to reach. The internationally known artist so seldom answers the telephone in his rural New York studio that the Chicagoans honoring him this week as Artist of the Year have been communicating with him by registered mail.
Puryear, however, will be very much in the spotlight Friday when he receives a trophy at the A.R.T. at the Mart VIII benefit at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza.
”We are really pleased. He does not accept these invitations often,”
says Maggi Whisenant, vice president of showrooms for Chicago-based Crane Wallcoverings and a co-chairman of the event. ”He called us back quite excited after we sent him a letter and indicated he would be pleased to accept because we teach art to inner-city school children.”
Puryear`s Chicago appearance is a coup for Art Resources in Teaching, which raises funds for art education in Chicago`s public schools.
The sculptor, who worked in Chicago for 12 years, is a hot property. An exhibition of his work organized by the Art Institute of Chicago is on a national tour and has won praise from critics.
The chance to rub shoulders with the sculptor costs $125 a person, but there are other enticements. A silent auction preceding the dinner has more than 200 donations from artists, antiques dealers and Merchandise Mart showrooms. For tickets, call 312-332-0355.