Phil Rowe Chicago brutalist metal jazz sculpture tabletop mid century

Phil Rowe Chicago Brutalist Metal Jazz Sculpture | Mid-Century Tabletop Art

SKU:
RJ-100
$950.00
(No reviews yet)
Weight:
8.00 LBS
Width:
14.00 (in)
Height:
23.00 (in)
Depth:
12.00 (in)
Current Stock:
1
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Description

This expressive tabletop sculpture is attributed to Phil Rowe, a long-time Chicago artist known for working across metal sculpture, painting, jewelry, and custom bar and restaurant design.

Hand-cut sheet metal with a darkened patinated finish forms stylized human faces and a stringed instrument motif, mounted on vertical metal rods and anchored into a solid wood base. The composition reflects classic Brutalist and mid-century modern design, with strong visual ties to Chicago’s jazz-era café and bar culture.

The piece reportedly originated from a North Evanston café with family ties to the Rowe name, a provenance that aligns with Phil Rowe’s documented work creating sculptural and decorative pieces for hospitality spaces throughout Chicago. Its scale and construction suggest it was designed as a bar-top or shelf sculpture, rather than wall art.

Smaller in scale than Rowe’s large wall sculptures, this work offers collectors an accessible yet authentic example of Chicago brutalist metal art, combining sculptural presence with intimate, narrative detail.

Details

  • Artist: Phil Rowe (Chicago), attributed

  • Medium: Hand-cut patinated metal on wood base

  • Style: Brutalist / Mid-Century Modern / Jazz Folk

  • Period: Circa 1960s–1980s

  • Height: Approx. 20 inches

  • Condition: Very good vintage condition. One upper element rotates slightly on its rod, consistent with age and use; does not detract from overall display.

A distinctive piece of Chicago mid-century brutalist sculpture, ideal for collectors of metal art, jazz-inspired décor, or authentic café-era design.