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Lawrence Weiner
Catalogue #471, (1980)
LANGUAGE + THE MATERIALS REFERRED TO
Glenstone Museum, Potomac, Maryland
Conceptual art prioritizes the ideas behind an artwork over the finished object. Catalogue #471, an artwork conceived in 1980, articulates a simple idea that can be interpreted in countless ways: the transformation of material after contact.
Since the artist determines what medium is most appropriate to convey an idea, Conceptual art can take many forms-from performances to drawings, from found objects to photographs. As a central figure in the formation of Conceptual art in the 1960s, American artist Lawrence Weiner used language as the primary medium for his work. Beginning in 1968, Weiner asserted that his artwork did not necessarily need to be constructed; rather, words could illustrate a sculpture or image in the mind of the viewer. Throughout his career, Weiner produced language-based artwork at a variety of scales, in a series of custom fonts, and in a spectrum of bold colors. With each installation, Weiner would carefully consider the circumstance and context in which his words would be inserted. Each piece builds a distinct relationship to its setting. Here, the artwork has been specially adapted by the artist to this location, its final condition designed and scaled before Weiner's death in 2021.
Lawrence Weiner was born in New York City in 1942 and died on December 2, 2021, at the age of 79. His work has been widely exhibited at museums and cultural institutions around the world. Weiner lived and worked in Amsterdam and New York City. |