Artwork copyright Phillip Levine. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2013.

Artwork copyright Phillip Levine. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Phillip Levine. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Phillip Levine. Original 1977 installation. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Phillip Levine. Original 1977 installation. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission (black and white photo).

Artwork copyright Phillip Levine. Original 1977 installation. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission (black and white photo).

Mountain Spirits, 1976

Phillip Levine
(American, born 1931, died 2021)

Location: Jenkins High School, Chewelah

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Mountain Spirits by PNW artist Philip Levine is comprised of five abstract forms that interact with one another. As the title suggests, Levine's forms are inspired by the mountains framing the surrounding Eastern Washington landscape.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Chewelah School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Northwest artist Phillip Levine (1931-2021) created bronze figurative sculptures for public and private spaces. His sculptures are realistic but with exaggerated or minimized elements such as long limbs. They often play with the elements of balance and movement. In his own words, "All my life I had heard 'The figure is dead.' But I was always drawn to it."

Levine was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Denver, Colorado. He entered the University of Colorado as a pre-med student and graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1961. He was honored with a Washington State Governor's Arts and Heritage Award in 1997. He has more than 30 sculptures in public places in Western Washington, half a dozen more in Eastern Washington, with others across the U.S.