CARL ANDRE
SCULPTURE AS PLACE, 1958-2010
curated by Yasmil Raymond and Philip Vergne
Dia:Beacon
3 Beekman Street - Beacon, NY
May 5, 2014–March 2, 2015
Tracing the full evolution over five decades of the thinking of Carl Andre, Dia Art Foundation will present Carl Andre: Sculpture as Place, 1958–2010 from May 5 to March 2 at Dia:Beacon. The retrospective will include 45 sculptures, over 160 poems and works on paper presented in wooden vitrines designed by the artist, a selection of rarely exhibited assemblages known as Dada Forgeries, and an unprecedented selection of photographs and ephemera. This will be the first museum survey of Andre’s entire oeuvre, and the first retrospective in North America since 1978–80.
After premiering at Dia:Beacon, it will travel to museums in Europe, including Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid (May 7–October 12, 2015); Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin (May 7–September 25, 2016); and Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris (October 20, 2016–February 12, 2017).
The retrospective will represent all major historical and aesthetic shifts in Andre’s oeuvre, including his signature works made out of unaltered building and industrial materials such as brick stacks, metal squares, slabs, and timber blocks. One of Andre’s landmark ephemeral works will be refabricated and installed on the grounds of Dia:Beacon, and an unparalleled display of Andre’s poems and typewriter works will examine the role of language in his practice. Highlighting the richness of Andre’s work—from early exercises to latest productions—the exhibition will also offer an opportunity to examine concerns shared with artists in Dia’s collection, including Flavin, Judd, LeWitt, Smithson, and Serra.
“The simplicity of Andre’s work conveys a striking complexity; it reveals the multiple ‘conditions’ that determine not only the artwork as such, but also the material itself in relation to historical and economic conditions. Andre’s impact on contemporary art is often reduced to the realm of sculpture, when in fact his process is palpable across various disciplines and generations of artists. Working with Carl, we’ve had the privilege of experiencing his unique precision, his intense understanding of his vocation, and his courageous attempt to rewrite the status of a work of art,” said Yasmil Raymond, curator, Dia Art Foundation.
Co-curated by Dia curator Yasmil Raymond and Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles Director Philippe Vergne, in collaboration with the artist, the retrospective will bring together works from renowned collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, National Gallery of Canada, Dallas Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Tate, Addison Gallery of American Art, and Wexner Center for the Arts.
A book with original essays by co-curators Yasmil Raymond and Philippe Vergne and contributions by internationally respected authors and scholars will accompany the retrospective. Co-edited by Michelle Piranio and Jeremy Sigler and coordinated by Manuel Cirauqui, it includes a comprehensive exhibition history, bibliography, and chronology. The book’s designer is the award-winning Purtill Family Business.
Image: Carl Andre, Uncarved Blocks, 1975. Red cedar, 47 blocks, 30 x 30 x 90 cm each, overall dimensions variable. Installation view; Ace Gallery, Vanvouver, 1975. Inv. 1994/03. Photo: Helge Mundt, Hamburg. © Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg. Art © Carl Andre/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.
SCULPTURE AS PLACE, 1958-2010
curated by Yasmil Raymond and Philip Vergne
Dia:Beacon
3 Beekman Street - Beacon, NY
May 5, 2014–March 2, 2015
Tracing the full evolution over five decades of the thinking of Carl Andre, Dia Art Foundation will present Carl Andre: Sculpture as Place, 1958–2010 from May 5 to March 2 at Dia:Beacon. The retrospective will include 45 sculptures, over 160 poems and works on paper presented in wooden vitrines designed by the artist, a selection of rarely exhibited assemblages known as Dada Forgeries, and an unprecedented selection of photographs and ephemera. This will be the first museum survey of Andre’s entire oeuvre, and the first retrospective in North America since 1978–80.
After premiering at Dia:Beacon, it will travel to museums in Europe, including Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid (May 7–October 12, 2015); Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin (May 7–September 25, 2016); and Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris (October 20, 2016–February 12, 2017).
The retrospective will represent all major historical and aesthetic shifts in Andre’s oeuvre, including his signature works made out of unaltered building and industrial materials such as brick stacks, metal squares, slabs, and timber blocks. One of Andre’s landmark ephemeral works will be refabricated and installed on the grounds of Dia:Beacon, and an unparalleled display of Andre’s poems and typewriter works will examine the role of language in his practice. Highlighting the richness of Andre’s work—from early exercises to latest productions—the exhibition will also offer an opportunity to examine concerns shared with artists in Dia’s collection, including Flavin, Judd, LeWitt, Smithson, and Serra.
“The simplicity of Andre’s work conveys a striking complexity; it reveals the multiple ‘conditions’ that determine not only the artwork as such, but also the material itself in relation to historical and economic conditions. Andre’s impact on contemporary art is often reduced to the realm of sculpture, when in fact his process is palpable across various disciplines and generations of artists. Working with Carl, we’ve had the privilege of experiencing his unique precision, his intense understanding of his vocation, and his courageous attempt to rewrite the status of a work of art,” said Yasmil Raymond, curator, Dia Art Foundation.
Co-curated by Dia curator Yasmil Raymond and Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles Director Philippe Vergne, in collaboration with the artist, the retrospective will bring together works from renowned collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, National Gallery of Canada, Dallas Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Tate, Addison Gallery of American Art, and Wexner Center for the Arts.
A book with original essays by co-curators Yasmil Raymond and Philippe Vergne and contributions by internationally respected authors and scholars will accompany the retrospective. Co-edited by Michelle Piranio and Jeremy Sigler and coordinated by Manuel Cirauqui, it includes a comprehensive exhibition history, bibliography, and chronology. The book’s designer is the award-winning Purtill Family Business.
Image: Carl Andre, Uncarved Blocks, 1975. Red cedar, 47 blocks, 30 x 30 x 90 cm each, overall dimensions variable. Installation view; Ace Gallery, Vanvouver, 1975. Inv. 1994/03. Photo: Helge Mundt, Hamburg. © Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg. Art © Carl Andre/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.