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Sol LeWitt, American, 1928 - 2007 (Artist)
“When an artist uses a multiple modular method, he usually chooses a simple and readily available form. The form itself is of very limited importance; it becomes the grammar for the total work.”—Sol LeWitt
LeWitt, a founder of Conceptual Art, rejected Abstract Expressionism’s glorification of the artist’s own thoughts and emotions and emphasized instead a rational, objective approach to form. The meaning of LeWitt’s work—in sculpture, works on paper, and wall drawings—lies in its concepts and planning; its physical form is merely a way to communicate these concepts in visual terms.
This sculpture continues a series of open modular cubic structures LeWitt began in the mid-1960s. This imposing tower comes from a simple routine for multiplication—1X1, 2X2, 3X3, etc.—that results in adding one more row to each descending level of stacked cubes. The top tier is a single unit, while the bottom tier is cubed 6X6X6 units. This basic formula yields surprisingly complex visual results as the viewer peers into the work from various angles.
Contemporary Sculpture in the Colection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA, June 25 - August 11, 1991
The Sydney and Frances Lewis Foundation Collection, Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, March 22 - May 2, 1979; The Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, OH, September 13 - November 4, 1979; Brooks Memorial Art Gallery, Memphis, TN, December 2, 1979 - January 27, 1980; Dupont Gallery, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA, February 18 - March 21, 1980; The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH, September 21 - November 9, 1980; Madison Art Center, Madison, WI, November 23, 1980 - January 18, 1981; Edna Carlsten Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Stephens Point, Stephens Point, WI, January 27 - March 15, 1981; Ulrich Museum, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, April 1 - May 31, 1981; Morehead State University, Morehead, KY, August 31 - October 16, 1981; Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, November 15, 1981 - January 10, 1982; Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS, January 31 - March 14, 1982; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, March 28 - May 30, 1982; Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA, September 10 - October 31, 1982; Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA, November 14, 1982 - January 16, 1983; University Memorial Gallery, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, January 30 - March 13, 1983; Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY, March 25 - May 29, 1983; Muscarelle Museum, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, February 4 - April 14, 1984
Grids: Format and Image in 20th Century Art, Pace Gallery, New York, December 16, 1978 - January 20, 1979
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
