Sol Lewitt

After watching several hours of videos on Sol Lewit, I am fascinated by his thinking and processes. It took me back to me childhood, when I was trying to make sense of the world, and to my years at school, and classes in geometry, arithmetic and mathematics, and trying to figure out how it all worked.

I think now the concept of "The idea is more important than the execution" is finally sinking in! Setting systems and limits to produce work is such a brilliant idea. I like the concept that LeWitt was seen as the artistic version of a musical composer; producing the artistic blueprint that others could "play". This quote sums it up:

"The idea becomes the machine that makes the art"

This redefinition of the role of the artist is a little mind-blowing, and recategorises the artist into being a thinker rather than a draughtsperson.

LeWitt's variations of incomplete cube pieces in particular hold much intrigue, and show that rules and limitations can lead to freedom. He produced all possible permutations of cubes using 3 sides through to 11 sides.

A great quote from one of the videos:

Without Freedom, order is oppression
Without order, freedom is chaos
(Martha Bayle - Professor & Cultural Critic)

Some of Sol LeWitt's work is depicted below:

    

Incomplete cube work

It has been said that on first viewing this piece that the viewer cannot make sense of it. However on closer observation, the viewer discovers the logic and simplicity in the complexity.

Drawing #51

Sol's logical concepts extended to wall drawings. This one was in Torino, Italy where he was expecting a normal rectangular wall space. However the wall was anything but rectangular. Plus there were sockets and imperfections on the wall. Sol used the space and applied a logic which connected every corner of every object, to every corner of every other object, and to every corner of the wall itself. This simple concept results an amazing labyrinth with a web of lines.




Sol also completed detailed blueprints for room installations such as the one above, which have been installed by teams in galleries around the world to create "Sol Lewitt Rooms" The fine detail in the instructions that Sol provided at the concept stage is what set him apart.

References:
https://www.artsy.net/artist/sol-lewitt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_LeWitt
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sol-lewitt-1504
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4cgB4vJ2XY
http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/video/tateshots-sol-lewitt
http://www.sollewittprints.org/biography