Another one of Arthur Secunda’s correspondence art friends was Gordon Wagner, born in Redondo Beach, California in 1915. Wagner became known as an assemblagist, an artist who creates art by assembly a variety of parts. He also did paintings and poetry to express his creativity. A painter by the name of Norman Chamberlain was his mentor; he helped Wagner connect with artists that inspired him. It was on a trip to France that he met other great artists, including Picasso! Over time, Wagner realized he was more interested in art that contained elements of mysticism and fantasy and was drawn to a different type of artist, like Dali, for example.
image from: blogs.getty.edu
image from: http://www.redondo.com-
Wagner first studied engineering, but like many artists, he followed his heart and ended up at the Chouinard Art Institute. His engineering skills were an art-related craft that he used for design purposes. It wasn’t until 1958 that Wagner became an art instructor. His engineering background was evident in his artwork especially the mobiles and other assemblages. Supposedly, many of his first assemblages were made from objects he found on the beach, and in later years, from railroad tracks. Wagner was interested in learning about other cultures and felt drawn to “carnival” themed scenery. He wanted his work to symbolize some component of society. Like Arthur Secunda, Wagner also played a role in the world of space, but rather than being a color consultant for NASA, he was involved in the engineering component during World War II. It was said that this influenced his style, making structure a bigger focus for Wagner.
Wagner passed away in 1987 after losing a battle with cancer at the age of 72. His funeral was adorned with various assemblages that were made up of wood and parts of office machines representing his passion to represent a story via aesthetic recycling. Perhaps it was Wagner that initiated the Steampunk style before it developed into what exists today.
Click on the links below for additional reading:
http://tobeycmossgallery.com/gordon_wagner_bio.html
https://blogs.library.ucla.edu/special/tag/gordon-wagner/
http://articles.latimes.com/1987-12-09/news/mn-18259_1_gordon-wagner
Secunda's Art Museum 