“In my case, I used elements of these simple forms- square, cube, line, and color- to produce logical systems. Most of these systems were finite; that is, they were complete using all possible variations. This kept them simple.” (Sol LeWitt)
The Sol LeWitt Wall Drawing found at the VMFA is titled “Wall Drawing #541”. This piece of art is kept in the 20th Century Art Gallery. Lewitt’s early work was done with pencils directly on the wall. Towards the 1980s, he began to work with ink wash applied with soft cloths. Ink wash is a watered down acrylic paint. “Wall Drawing #541” is a series of isometric cubes with layered ink wash. It has been applied on a wall made of plywood painted with plaster. The dimensions of this piece vary based on where it is being installed: it was installed in a gallery in Paris with a very different design. This painting is done in bright primary and secondary colors, as well as grey. When the museum purchased the instructions for this piece, it was executed by numerous members of staff and artists from the Richmond area.
Interview with Emily Smith
To learn more about the installation of Wall Drawing #541, we contacted Executive Director of Richmond’s 1708 Gallery, Emily Smith, who was present during the re-installation of the work. The transcript of her interview is seen below.
Do you think that an installation of this size and type was difficult?
ES: The installation of the Wall Drawing was quite complex from the planning stages to the execution. This complexity was due in part to the conceptual nature of the work and to the fact that the instructions and directions are as much a part of the piece as the completed drawing. It was crucial that these instruction be followed with precision – from the placement of the forms to the very particular way in which the color was applied to the wall. To manage the process, a lead artist was contracted through LeWitt’s estate.
What type of difficulties could be encountered during an installation of this size?
ES: There are logistical challenges in general – the need for a big team of artists, the need for infrastructure like scaffolding. However, as is the nature of LeWitt’s works, many of the decisions have been made and so execution of the plan is what is required.
Why do you think the piece was removed in 2008?
ES: As I recall, the piece was removed because the walls in the Lewis galleries needed to be replaced because of issues with the fire retardant in the wall materials (I think that was the reason).
What adjustments do you think had to be made when the piece, that was first constructed in Paris, was then constructed here at the VMFA?
ES: I was not at the VMFA when the first installation occurred but there was one major adjustment made between the initial installation at VMFA and the 2009 installation. In the interim period, the types of inks that LeWitt has previously used were no longer made. Before his death, he had approved the use of an acrylic paint as a replacement. In 2009 as the re-installation was being completed, we noticed that the quality of the color differed from the previous iteration. However, given that the idea and the set of instruction are really the artwork, no further adjustments were made.
Installing Wall Drawing #541
Sol LeWitt Wall Drawing Reinstalled at VMFA Video Transcript:
Narrator: The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts installed its Wall Drawing in 2000. The museum transformative expansion later required demolition of the wall. Since the museum owns the concept of the art, it can be replicated whenever necessary.
Sarah Heinemann: I am a Brooklyn based artist. I work with the Sol LeWitt Studio. And here we are reinstalling a Wall Drawing for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. My crew is a local group of artists in Richmond who are affiliated with the Virginia Commonwealth University.
Anna Bushman: The opportunity to work on a LeWitt piece is a fantastic opportunity in terms of being a painter, myself. It’s interesting to come to a process that has been pre-established by Sol LeWitt, to an extent you have the layout and the colors and everything preordained, but we, in essence, get to employ his studio practices – the actually physicality of the work.
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Wall Drawing #541: Contemporary & Concept Art
Wall Drawing #541: Installation