Although she lived in Paris for most of her adult life, Penalba's work was deeply influenced by the landscapes of her youth spent in Argentina. She is known for her totemic, abstract, vertical sculptures that she named after animals, plant material, and natural forces. This work, inspired by her frequent visits to gothic cathedrals in Europe, is an inner expression of spiritualized natural forms.
Gift of Alfred Harrison and Ingrid Lenz Harrison, 2017.