LIPTON, SEYMOUR

born Nov. 6, 1903, New York City died Dec. 5, 1986, Glen Cove, N.Y., U.S. American sculptor known for his forceful metal sculptures of abstract organic forms. Lipton attended City College of New York, studied dentistry at Columbia University (192327), and had no formal art training. He embarked on his artistic career in 1932 as a figurative sculptor, primarily in wood; when he shifted to abstract work after 1945, his major material became sheet metal. The play between external and internal forms dominates Lipton's later work. His characteristically massive, textured pieces twist, curve, and seem frozen on the verge of opening. They are frequently suggestive of and titled after animals and plants. His commissioned works include sculptures at Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center, New York City (1964), and Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C. (1964).