Lawrence Weiner
Lawrence Weiner (1942-2021), born in New York, lived and worked in New York and Amsterdam. A key figure in Conceptual art, Lawrence Weiner centered his practice around language from the late 1960s onward. His works, typically set in a sans-serif font, often reference materials and processes that enact a physical process. While he did not consider his works site-specific, each piece establishes a unique dialogue with its surroundings – whether displayed in a public space, on a gallery wall, or within a book – allowing viewers to interpret the text through their own experiences. As with much Conceptual work, Weiner’s installations do not have to be executed by the artist. Instead, he redefined the traditional artist-viewer relationship by shifting responsibility for their realization to the audience, challenging conventional models of artistic authorship and distribution. Over time, his engagement with language evolved from simple actions to ready-made structures, such as aphorisms and common phrases, highlighting the inherently subjective nature of interpretation. He also explored the interplay between graphic and grammatical elements, incorporating shapes and colors to expand the expressive potential of language.
Lawrence Weiner Editions
Rows of Cabbage
2007
Published for Haus der Kunst, Munich
Silkscreen on galvanized iron, 51 x 19 x 12 cm (20 x 7½ x 4¾ in). Edition of 100, signed and numbered.
This edition refers to Lawrence Weiner’s large-scale installation on the Haus der Kunst’s frieze that reads ROWS OF CABBAGES MARKED WITH RED INK AND BURIED TOMORROW/REIHEN VON KOHL MARKIERT MIT ROTER TINTE UND MORGEN VERGRABEN. Commissioned by Adolf Hitler in 1933, the museum was the first in a series of buildings intended to promote National Socialist ideals. Installing his work in this city and institution challenged Weiner not only to mark the building’s political history and its ties to the destruction of avant-garde culture but also to subvert the hidden agenda of the commission – using art to fulfill Germany’s reconciliatory memory culture. His enigmatic, almost grotesque statement functioned like an oracle, drawing viewers into its riddle. As in all his work, Weiner’s language granted agency, encouraging audiences to confront responsibility and gradually dismantle their initial, collective repressive incomprehension.
€ 1,200 € 720 / $850 shipping costs included
Aphorism-Archimedes
2007
From Wall Works
Wall work in two colors of adhesive vinyl, dimensions variable. Limited to 15 installations, with a signed and numbered certificate.
Consistent with part of Lawrence Weiner's inscription – EDGE TO EDGE –, this edition is to be installed on a wall from corner to corner or from architectural point to architectural point. Like all the other works from Schellmann Art's group series Wall Works, Aphorism-Archimedes, 2007, is part of the collection of the Nationalgalerie Berlin.
