Donal Hord

Why this artist matters now

Donal Hord carved monumental abstract and figurative forms in stone and wood, working directly in the material with a reductive, modernist sensibility. Based in San Diego, California, he executed major public commissions through the Federal Art Project during the 1930s, establishing himself as a leading figure in American sculptural practice of the Depression era. His work combined streamlined forms with references to pre-Columbian and indigenous aesthetics, working at a scale that demanded sustained physical engagement with the stone.