Keith Sonnier

(American, 1941–2020)

Keith Sonnier was a contemporary American artist known for his pioneering light sculptures. Employing materials such as latex, neon, and found objects, Sonnier achieved a drawing-like quality with his sculptures. “I love light in my work but I was never influenced by neon signage in itself, rather its effect on nature and architecture,” he once explained. Born on July 31, 1941 in Mamou, LA, he received his BA from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1963, and his MFA from Rutgers University in 1966. It was during his time at Rutgers, that Sonnier became influenced by Robert Morris. By the late 1960s, he along with his peers Bruce Nauman and Dan Flavin, began employing neon tube lights in their work. Over the years, he incorporated materials used by other cultures into sculptural installations. Sonnier passed away on July 18, 2020 at the age of 78. His works are held in the collections of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, among others.

Keith Sonnier Artworks

Keith Sonnier (210 results)
Untitled - Neon Study, 1981

Keith Sonnier

Untitled - Neon Study, 1981

Sale Date: May 6, 2021

Auction Closed

BA-0-BA, Krefeld II, 1979

Keith Sonnier

BA-0-BA, Krefeld II, 1979

Sale Date: April 28, 2021

Auction Closed

ABACA Code C-VII, 1975

Keith Sonnier

ABACA Code C-VII, 1975

Sale Date: April 28, 2021

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1992

Keith Sonnier, Glenn O'Brien and Max Blagg

Untitled, 1992

Sale Date: March 3, 2021

Auction Closed

Sel VII, Ger, 1978

Keith Sonnier

Sel VII, Ger, 1978

Sale Date: December 15, 2020

Auction Closed

Hotel Delacourt (from the Computographics..., 1994

Keith Sonnier

Hotel Delacourt (from the Computographics..., 1994

Sale Date: July 28, 2020

Auction Closed

Changaloo

Keith Sonnier

Changaloo

Sale Date: April 19, 2020

Auction Closed

Changaloo

Keith Sonnier

Changaloo

Sale Date: February 23, 2020

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1973

Keith Sonnier

Untitled, 1973

Sale Date: January 21, 2020

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1973

Keith Sonnier

Untitled, 1973

Sale Date: October 24, 2019

Auction Closed

Anemometer, 1991–1993

Keith Sonnier

Anemometer, 1991–1993

Sale Date: October 24, 2019

Auction Closed

Elleptical Orbit, 1991

Keith Sonnier

Elleptical Orbit, 1991

Sale Date: September 26, 2019

Auction Closed

Elliptical Orbit, 1991

Keith Sonnier

Elliptical Orbit, 1991

Sale Date: September 26, 2019

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1973

Keith Sonnier

Untitled, 1973

Sale Date: September 25, 2019

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1973

Keith Sonnier

Untitled, 1973

Sale Date: August 22, 2019

Auction Closed

Computographics, 1995

Keith Sonnier

Computographics, 1995

Sale Date: June 8, 2019

Auction Closed

U Beam variation #10, 1999

Keith Sonnier

U Beam variation #10, 1999

Sale Date: May 22, 2019

Auction Closed

Untitled - Neon Study, 1981

Keith Sonnier

Untitled - Neon Study, 1981

Sale Date: May 30, 2019

Auction Closed

Walk up, 1966

Keith Sonnier

Walk up, 1966

Sale Date: March 12, 2019

Auction Closed

Brahea Neon, 1999

Keith Sonnier

Brahea Neon, 1999

Sale Date: December 19, 2018

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1989

Keith Sonnier

Untitled, 1989

Sale Date: December 6, 2018

Auction Closed

Sa-Sel, 1978–2002

Keith Sonnier

Sa-Sel, 1978–2002

Sale Date: December 6, 2018

Auction Closed

Cycladic Shelf, 1989

Keith Sonnier

Cycladic Shelf, 1989

Sale Date: December 1, 2018

Auction Closed

Meridian Codex: Print One, 1992

Keith Sonnier

Meridian Codex: Print One, 1992

Sale Date: November 14, 2018

Auction Closed