Sol lewittsol lewitt began exhibiting in new york in the 1960s and would go on to become one of the most influential artists of his generation. Sol lewitt 19282007 united states is an artist born in 1928 the oldest auction result ever registered on the website for an artwork by this artist is a drawingwatercolor sold in 1984, at christies, and the most recent auction result is a printmultiple sold in 2020. Printed matter is pleased to present book as system. Lewitt attended classes at the wadsworth atheneum museum in his hometown of hartford, connecticut as a youth, and then received a bfa from syracuse university. With this assurance i hope to justify his confidence. Sol lewitts coffee table is one of the most historically significant examples of artistdesigned furniture of the 20th century and relates both conceptually and visually to the artists body of work. One of the leading exponents of conceptual art, sol lewitt stressed the idea behind his work over its execution. If the greatness of sol lewitt, the minimalconceptual artist who died this month at 78, has so far escaped you, make haste to this quiet hudson river town and its main cultural. His prolific two and threedimensional work ranges from wall drawings over 1200 of which have been executed to hundreds of works on paper extending to structures in the form of towers, pyramids, geometric forms, and progressions. Solomon sol lewitt september 9, 1928 april 8, 2007 was an american artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism. Lewitt is best known for his largescale wall drawings, rigorous arrays of designs, shapes, grids, and. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices.
A hartford, connecticut native, he came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings over 1,200 of which have been executed, but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, installation and. Lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures a term he preferred instead of sculptures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, installation, and artist s books. Boasting a body of work that ranges from wall drawings to prints on paper and sculptures, sol lewitt was an acclaimed artist linked to the minimalism and conceptual art movements. See available prints and multiples, works on paper, and sculpture for sale and learn about the artist. Sol lewitt has 47 books on goodreads with 231 ratings. Still, it one thinking freshly about concept and process in art. Matter was doing a comprehensive retrospective of sol lewitts artist books. The artist created seemingly simple geometric sculptures and drawings and later designed colourful and exuberant wall paintings. See more ideas about conceptual art, wall drawing and art. Sol lewitt complex structure in a contained space, 1988 gouache on paper 22. The influence of eadweard muybridges photography and lewitts fascination for the system was clearly apparent in his early works. Individually, each book is already an important record and reference source.
A blind man can make art if what is in his mind can be passed to another mind in some tangible form, he once said. Lewitt stated that ideas, not physical creations, are the substance of art. Within each square, bands in one of four directions, each with color ink washes superimposed. Solomon sol lewitt september 9, 1928april 8, 2007 was an american artist regarded as a pioneer in both the conceptual and minimalist art movements. Apr 09, 2007 sol lewitt was born in hartford, on sept. The first of his sentences on conceptual art 1968 reads conceptual artists are mystics rather than rationalists. Artists books is a touring exhibition of over 80 of lewitts books, dating from 1967 to 2002, a few years before his death. Cover book was published in 1995 that they and joseph kosuths art after. Like the minimalists, he often uses simple basic forms, in the belief that using complex basic forms only disrupts the unity of the whole. Whether its a sculpture, a painting or a drawing, sol lewitts work is almost always instantly recognizable for its rigorous lines, modular. Though american conceptual artist sol lewitt 19282007 worked in every. Sol lewitt brushstrokes in different colors in two directions set of 6 1993 limited edition print. Artist s books as well as in susanna singers publications by the artist bibliography in sfmomas 2000 sol lewitt showing some very light wear and soiling to its white wrappers along with a tiny dent to the upper foredge.
These occupy nearly an acre of specially built interior walls that have been installedper lewitts own specificationsover three stories of a historic mill building situated at the heart of mass mocas campus. These occupy nearly an acre of specially built interior walls that have been installedper lewitts own specificationsover three stories of a historic mill b. His belief in the artist as a generator of ideas was instrumental in the transition from the modern to the postmodern era. Lewitts work emerged alongside the minimalist and conceptual art movements of the 1960s, and combines qualities of both. A founder of both the minimalist and conceptual art movements, lewitt made sculptures, paintings, drawings, prints, and largescale installations. Lewitt created books as art works since the early days of artists books in. Lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures a term he preferred instead of sculptures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, and painting. Sol lewitt 19282007 was born in hartford, connecticut, where he took art classes at the wadsworth atheneum. Sol lewitt mural installation at innovation partnership. In 1976, lewitt cofounded the artists book bookstore printed matter in new york, with lucy lippard.
Sol lewitt wall drawingssobre o sol e as estrellas. Meet sol lewitts artist daughter eva lewitt w magazine. Sol lewitt 1928 2007, a hugely respected and influential theorist as well as practitioner, was a pioneer of conceptual and minimalist art during the 1960s. Sol lewitt s most popular book is between the lines. Lewitt is regarded as a founder of both minimal and conceptual art. Sol lewitt american, 19282007 is renowned as a founding member of both minimalism and conceptual art. Discover the best 98825010 lewitt, sol in best sellers. In his early years, he worked as a graphic artist and then a designer in architect im peis office, which helped him separate the idea of a design from its fabrication. Sol lewitt had many influences from his job at the modern museum of art, where he saw works by jasper johns, frank stella and robert rauschenberg. The exhibition surveys the varied and historically significant publication practice of conceptual artist sol lewitt through a nearcomplete presentation of book works drawn from the expansive research of giorgio. Dec 19, 2017 lewitt was an american artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism.
Lewitts most notable work is arguably his wall drawings series the artist developed a rigorous. Sol lewitt earned a place in the history of art for his leading role in the conceptual movement. Artists books as well as in susanna singers publications by the artist bibliography in sfmomas 2000 sol lewitt showing some very light wear and soiling to its white wrappers along with a tiny dent to the upper foredge. Sol lewitt 19281997 was an artist who is considered one of the most important figures of american conceptual art. Sol lewitts representative essays, sentences on conceptual art and. Sol lewitt 19282007 was pivotal in the creation of the new radical aesthetic of the 1960s that was a revolutionary contradiction to the abstract expressionism current in the 1950s and 60s new york school. Sol lewitt 19282007, one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, upended traditional practices of how art is made and marketed. His father, a doctor, died when he was 6, after which he moved with his mother, a nurse, to live with an aunt.
What happens when a conceptual artist takes leave of his senses. He contributed to establishing modernism and conceptualism as two of the dominant movements on the postwar art scene in the united states, after the demise of abstract. He is known for his geometric sculptures and wall paintings. Lewitts bookmaking fits squarely within his commitment to order and seriality, revealing his overall practice. But sol lewitts work is a buooyant reminder of the way that apparent simplicity often shrouds the real work of the conceptual work of artthe work done within the artists mind. Lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures a term he preferred instead of sculptures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, installation and artist. The latest version is slightly brighter than the original one. A pioneer of conceptual art, he forged a new way of thinking about making art. A pioneer of artist s books, and cofounder of new yorks printed matter bookstore in 1976, lewitt is closely identified with the book as an art form.
First executed in 1987, wall drawing 552d presents a motif that the artist described as not quite a cube, in which the tilted form produces an illusion of volume. A wall drawing retrospective comprises 105 of lewitts largescale wall drawings, spanning the artists career from 1969 to 2007. Rather than using pelican ink washes, which have been discontinued since the work first was executed in 1990, lewitt closely matched the original ink colors with acrylic paints. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. After receiving a bfa from syracuse university he worked as a graphic designer in the office of architect i. Lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures a term he preferred instead of sculptures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography. See more ideas about conceptual art, wall drawing and contemporary art. A key figure in minimalism and conceptualism, he proclaimed that the work of the mind is much more important than that of the hand. Wikipedia entry introduction solomon sol lewitt september 9, 1928 april 8, 2007 was an american artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism. Solomon sol lewitt september 9, 1928 april 8, 2007 was an american artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures a term he preferred instead of sculptures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, installation, and. He came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures, but was prolific in a wide range of media, including drawing, printmaking, photography, and painting. The history of coffee table began in 1965 when lewitt made his very first table by painting a whitelined grid on a painted grey, wooden top. Paragraphs on conceptual art sol lewitt corner college. It means, too, that his latest work takes over his retrospective.
Using the cube as the basis for his complex modules. So, as a postscript, does his death in 2007 and a powerful posthumous creation. These artists are his influences because lewitt was exposed to him during his initial job in the city. Apr 04, 2020 sol lewitt, american artist whose work provides a link between minimalism and conceptual art. Solomon sol lewitt september 9, 1928 april 8, 2007 was an american artist. Sol lewitt, born on 9 september 1928 in hertford, connecticut, is seen as the founder of conceptual art and wrote what is considered the movements manifesto, paragraphs on conceptual art 1967.
Lewitt was a signal innovator of the genre of the artists book, a term that was coined for a 1973 exhibition curated by dianne. This structure lewitt did not use the term sculpture for his threedimensional art is made of blocks stacked and stepped back in an orderly pattern and is based. Solomon sol lewitt was an american artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism. Books are the best medium for many artists working today, sol lewitt 19282007 once declared. Sol lewitt artist art for sale biography, past and. A pioneer of artists books, and cofounder of new yorks printed matter bookstore in 1976, lewitt is closely identified with the book as an art form. These works range in size from gallerysized installations to monumental outdoor pieces. Paragraphs on conceptual art sol lewitt artforum june, 1967. He had no interest in inherent narrative or descriptive imagery. In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work, lewitt wrote in a landmark essay in 1967. Thirty years of the conceptual artists work are comprehensively. The ziggurat and setback skyscraper had the greatest influence on lewitts foursided pyramid.
Sol lewitt artist art for sale biography, past and future. The editor has written me that he is in favor of avoiding the notion that the artist is a kind of ape that has to be explained by the civilized critic. Sol lewitt america, 19282007 was one of the most influential artists of his generation. The influence of eadweard muybridges photography and lewitt s fascination for the system was clearly apparent in his early works when he made oil paintings of muybridges sequences of. Sol lewitt was an iconic american artist whose work helped to establish both minimalism and conceptual art. Lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, installation, and artist s books. Sol lewitt usa, 19282007 is considered an important figure in the minimalist generation and in establishing the groundwork for conceptual art, although he disclaimed both identifications. Sol lewitt born 1928 in connecticut, died 2007 in new york, usa had a profound interest in the idea of a series, which when repeated would create a system. This book moves sequentially from the general to the specific, building up a very personal and revealing account of the artist.