The WPI Oral Histories: Donald and Alfred Lippincott on Tom Wesselmann

Lippincott, Inc. was founded by Donald Lippincott in 1966 as a fabrication space specifically for artists producing large-scale sculptures, not industrial design projects. Eventually joined by his brother, Alfred, the Lippincott studio quickly gained renown for its collaborative, salon-like atmosphere; its attention to artists’ aesthetic and technical considerations; and its innovative methods for constructing large-scale sculptures. Lippincott, Inc. also offered artists the option of partnership pieces: a collaboration in which the fabricator covered up front costs and materials in exchange for l an ownership stake in the finished work. The Lippincotts worked with many 20th-century artists of note, including Claes Oldenburg, Donald Judd, George Sugarman, Louise Nevelson, and others. But Tom Wesselmann’s 3-D and sculptural works hold a special place in the studio’s history. From 1980 onward, the Lippincotts worked on over 600 individual jobs for Wesselmann, which would ultimately account for almost ⅙ of the studio’s total output. Donald and Alfred developed a fond, creatively fruitful working relationship with Wesselmann that lasted from 1980 until the end of his life. The oral history highlights the arc of their years working with Wesselmann, as well as specific projects, from Wesselmann and others, that represented turning points in their own studio practices.