November 13, 2004
"Minimal artists try to make..." at Yvon Lambert Gallery
Artforum.com has posted my brief review of the group show curated by Jonathan Monk now on view at Yvon Lambert in Chelsea. Here's the text:
In late 1960s Paris, Yvon Lambert exhibited a group of young artists—many American—that other gallerists wouldn't touch; today, these Minimalists and Conceptual artists are considered some of the most influential of the decade and form the bedrock of a gallery program that is one of the most prominent in Paris. Berlin-based Jonathan Monk—himself obsessed with the period's artists—has dipped into the archives to give audiences a sneak peek at the Left Bank gallery's heyday. The earliest works included, a wall-based sculpture by Sol LeWitt and drawings from Dutch artist Stanley Brouwn's "This Way Brouwn" series (in which passersby were asked to sketch street directions, which he then stamped and exhibited as artworks), slightly predate the gallery's existence. Sculptures by Carl Andre and Fred Sandback, a text work by Lawrence Weiner, paintings by Brice Marden and On Kawara, and documentation of early Joan Jonas performances catch the gallery in its stride. It is an uncomplicated affair: If you like these artists, you'll like the show. Look around for Monk's own contribution, which suggests a Parisian rendezvous some years hence. Perhaps after meeting at the designated spot, you could visit a few galleries.
The review is archived here on BrianSholis.com. I mean what I say when I announce that if you like the artists you'll like the show. I do, so seeing an early Marden painting or Brouwn's works, which are unfamiliar to American audiences, is a distinct pleasure.
NOTE: I'm facing down a handful of freelance deadlines and a growing workload at the magazine, so posts here will be few and far between for a while. Thanks for your patience.