Thierry Davila

Can you recall what you were doing on April 3, 1990? What about on July 17, 1996? October 23, 1998? In Date Paintings, time itself has become art--art that carries viewers back in time. These black and white paintings are pure realism, the existence of time put in painting, thus rendering the works--up to a certain point--both viewable and readable. The 11 paintings, made by Conceptual artist On Kawara over the course of a decade, allow viewers to complete their reading with personal associations, historical events or academic interpretations. The book, conceived with Kawara himself, is a decidedly different and intimate take on an artist's monograph. In it, Kawara has invented a simple and striking way to make art by taking his time and using the calendar to make a kind of non-individual art work.… (plus d'informations)

In his wonderfully ambiguous One Minute Sculptures, which are only humorous at first glance, the Vienna-based conceptualist, Erwin Wurm, takes a literal approach to sculpture while also taking the medium apart: anyone can be a piece of art for a minute by following his instructions. The non-human works by which he is best known, the overinflated and floppy Fat Car and Fat House, are likewise spirited, thoughtful critiques, in this case of consumer culture. Their strained poses, like those of his One Minute participants, raise immediate, simple questions concerning normality and the meaning or lack of it in both artistic conventions and human actions. Wurm's profoundly humane work is an eye-opener to social forces, and always playful. Those who know it look forward to each new piece. This informative monograph assembles many previously unpublished videos, sculptures, installations and performances.… (plus d'informations)