Lawrence Weiner (b. 1942, Bronx, New York) lives and works in New York City. One of the leading figures of the Conceptual art scene in the 1960s...
| Portrait of Lawrence Weiner, still from Nowness' "Lawrence Weiner's Realm of Distance" by Mike Nybroe. | |
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Marian Goodman Gallery is pleased to continue our artist-centric newsletter IN FOCUS, where we delve deeply into one artist on the MGG roster at a time. Aiming to show a fuller picture of the breadth of our artists' careers, we will feature our favorite stories, podcasts, interviews, artists’ writings and videos from the archive, as well as new and upcoming projects.
Lawrence Weiner (b. 1942, Bronx, New York) lives and works in New York City and Amsterdam. One of the leading figures of the Conceptual art scene since the 1960s, Weiner was among the first to propose a new relationship with art and redefined the status and function of art itself. Weiner’s body of work has, at its core, a fundamental questioning of the conventions of objecthood in relation to the producer and its viewer:
1. THE ARTIST MAY CONSTRUCT THE WORK
2. THE WORK MAY BE FABRICATED
3. THE WORK NEED NOT BE BUILT
EACH BEING EQUAL AND CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT OF THE ARTIST THE DECISION AS TO CONDITION RESTS WITH THE RECEIVER UPON THE OCCASION OF RECEIVERSHIP
Statement of Intent, 1969
Since the late 1960s, Weiner has used language as the primary medium for the presentation of his work [LANGUAGE + THE MATERIALS REFERRED TO]. Weiner has produced films, videos, printed matter, artist books, and audio works. The work deals with the material reality of human beings to objects and their culture within and without the context of the art world. Each sculpture builds a distinct relationship with each cultural environment that it finds itself inserted into. Weiner's work has been exhibited around the world and presented in numerous languages and forms.
Today, follow along as we explore Lawrence Weiner's work. ↓
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WE ARE LISTENING...
To Lawrence Weiner in conversation with Tom Eccles, as a part of Public Art Fund's podcast, "Public Art Works." Weiner and Eccles discuss their 2000 public project – when Eccles was the Director of Public Art Fund – during which Weiner presented 19 functional manhole covers across lower Manhattan. It was a significant project for both, emphasizing the quieter, more personal experiences that public art can provoke.
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WE ARE WATCHING...
The Jewish Museum's video documentation of Lawrence Weiner's 2020 piece "ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY HAVE THE SAME FACE," which is installed on the exterior of the museum through Winter 2021. Through the use of aphorism Weiner delves into his own history in New York and reflects on his relationships with other Jewish Institutions over the years, such as presentations in Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Stommeln, and Rome. The current presentation at The Jewish Museum offers us a deeper understanding of Weiner's thinking and greater philosophies.
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Image 3 | Photograph by Liz Ligon.
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