Archive for April, 2007

"Sol LeWitt, whose deceptively simple geometric sculptures and drawings and ecstatically colored and jazzy wall paintings established him as a lodestar of modern American art, died yesterday in New York. He was 78 and lived mostly in Chester, Conn. The cause was complications from cancer, said Susanna Singer, a longtime associate." –NYT

The passing of a loved one can stop us mid-sentence…I did not know Sol LeWitt personally, but I did know him through his work, his visual and written art, and shared a ‘kinship-by-concept’ with him as did thousands of other artists, critics and fans who met him through his work.

I first read of LeWitt’s passing on Tyler Green’s site and followed the many blog posts that popped up online and am glad to see the outpouring of love and admiration for this great man. I confess that LeWitt’s widely praised wall murals, prints and paintings have not held my interest in the way his sketches and writings have. And Sentences on Conceptual Art remains a favorite of mine.

In tribute, I’m posting his seminal written piece, Sentences on Conceptual Art, 1969:

1. Conceptual artists are mystics rather than rationalists. They leap to conclusions that logic cannot reach.
2. Rational judgements repeat rational judgements.
3. Irrational judgements lead to new experience.
4. Formal art is essentially rational.
5. Irrational thoughts should be followed absolutely and logically.
6. If the artist changes his mind midway through the execution of the piece he compromises the result and repeats past results.
7. The artist’s will is secondary to the process he initiates from idea to completion. His wilfulness may only be ego.
8. When words such as painting and sculpture are used, they connote a whole tradition and imply a consequent acceptance of this tradition, thus placing limitations on the artist who would be reluctant to make art that goes beyond the limitations.
9. The concept and idea are different. The former implies a general direction while the latter is the component. Ideas implement the concept.
10. Ideas can be works of art; they are in a chain of development that may eventually find some form. All ideas need not be made physical.
11. Ideas do not necessarily proceed in logical order. They may set one off in unexpected directions, but an idea must necessarily be completed in the mind before the next one is formed.
12. For each work of art that becomes physical there are many variations that do not.
13. A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist’s mind to the viewer’s. But it may never reach the viewer, or it may never leave the artist’s mind.
14. The words of one artist to another may induce an idea chain, if they share the same concept.
15. Since no form is intrinsically superior to another, the artist may use any form, from an expression of words (written or spoken) to physical reality, equally.
16. If words are used, and they proceed from ideas about art, then they are art and not literature; numbers are not mathematics.
17. All ideas are art if they are concerned with art and fall within the conventions of art.
18. One usually understands the art of the past by applying the convention of the present, thus misunderstanding the art of the past.
19. The conventions of art are altered by works of art.
20. Successful art changes our understanding of the conventions by altering our perceptions.
21. Perception of ideas leads to new ideas.
22. The artist cannot imagine his art, and cannot perceive it until it is complete.
23. The artist may misperceive (understand it differently from the artist) a work of art but still be set off in his own chain of thought by that misconstrual.
24. Perception is subjective.
25. The artist may not necessarily understand his own art. His perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.
26. An artist may perceive the art of others better than his own.
27. The concept of a work of art may involve the matter of the piece or the process in which it is made.
28. Once the idea of the piece is established in the artist’s mind and the final form is decided, the process is carried out blindly. There are many side effects that the artist cannot imagine. These may be used as ideas for new works.
29. The process is mechanical and should not be tampered with. It should run its course.
30. There are many elements involved in a work of art. The most important are the most obvious.
31. If an artist uses the same form in a group of works, and changes the material, one would assume the artist’s concept involved the material.
32. Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.
33. It is difficult to bungle a good idea.
34. When an artist learns his craft too well he makes slick art.
35. These sentences comment on art, but are not art.

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First published in 0-9 (New York), 1969, and Art-Language (England), May 1969

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I hadn’t seen this painting in years and only just discovered it in my Inbox yesterday. It seems there will be a major retrospective of Max Beckmann’s work in Amsterdam:

"From 6 April through 19 August 2007 the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam will host the exhibition Max Beckmann in Amsterdam, 1937-1947. "

But really, I was just looking for an excuse to share it. I first saw it in a painting class over 15 years ago when one of my first painting instructors, Gene Gentry-McMahan shared it with the class. I was breathless, as I still am today.

"What I want to show in my work is the idea which hides itself behind so-called reality. I am seeking for the bridge which leans from the visible to the invisible through reality. It may sound paradoxical, but it is in fact reality which forms the mystery of our existence."

Max Beckmann 

I always wanted to go to this, but it never seemed to happen.  And as before, I will not be in LA for this years walk and auction, but if you are in LA, you should go. (And drop me a line and let me know how it went…) Plus, this year a former prof of mine, Lita Albuquerque will have a piece in the auction!

"The Venice Art Walk & Auctions is an annual celebration of art, architecture, music and fine cuisine benefiting Venice Family Clinic. If you’ve never experienced it, then you’re in for one of the great contemporary art events on the West Coast. And if you’ve walked the Walk before, you’re going to love what’s new for 2007.

"Either way, you’ll enjoy knowing that all proceeds benefit Venice Family Clinic, the largest free clinic in the country, providing free, quality health care to nearly 22,000 people in need per year.

"Note: the Silent Art Auction returns to Westminster School on Sunday, May 20.

Events
Live Auction, Saturday, April 21
Art & Architecture Tours, Saturday, May 19
Venice Art Walk Studio Tours and Silent Art Auction, Sunday, May 20
Angel Events & Benefits