George Segal began by studying art at several different institutions. Until 1958, he primarily worked as a chicken farmer and painted Expressionist nudes in his free time. As from 1958, he produced life-size plaster figures that used actual objects as props. In the 1970’s, lighting became an important concept of his work. In 1957 he was included in “Artists of the New York School: Second Generation” an exhibit at the Jewish Museum. In 1957 Allan Kaprow chose the Segal farm as the scene of his first Happening – live art with an environmental sensibility. In 1958 Segal began to experiment in sculpture and had a one-man show at the Green Gallery in 1960, featuring several plaster figures. In 1961, Segal experimented with applying dry plaster bandages directly to his body. With the help of his wife, Helen, Segal was able to make parts of a body cast and assemble them into a complete seated figure. Segal provided an environment for his body cast by adding a chair, a window frame and a table. Man Sitting at a Table marked the discovery of a new sculptural technique and a turning point in the artist’s career. In later years he perfected the technique and created real life tableaux, using many close friends and family members as models. He became known, along with Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, Andy Warhol and others as part of the "Pop Art" movement. Retrospectives (selection): 1978: San Francisco Museum of Art; Whitney. 1980: Sidney Janis Gallery, New York (where he has subsequently exhibited frequently). 1982: Retrospective, Seibu MoMA, Tokyo. 1983: Retrospective, Israel Museum, Jerusalem. 1986: Galerie Brusberg, Berlin; Galerie Joan Prats,. 1988: Venice Biennale. 1989: Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas (travelled to Orlando, Portland, Oregon). 1991: Museo Contemporaneo, Caracas. 1994: Sidney Janis Gallery, New York.
