These five works, which the wall text claims reflects lewitts influence on hesse, are quiet. In 1965, eva found herself facing a creative block during a period of selfdoubt, and told sol of her frustrating predicament. Sol lewitt wrote a famous letter to fellow artist eva hesse, and actor benedict cumberbatch reads it with gusto in this stunning video. Paragraphs on conceptual art sol lewitt artforum june, 1967. A letter from sol lewitt to eva hesse, read by benedict cumberbatchexplicit. Among our march releases this year is an enchanting book entitled converging lines.
Lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures a term he preferred instead of sculptures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, and painting. In 1965, when hesse found herself in a difficult creative place after a year in germany, lewitt wrote his friend a long letter of encouragement. The following is a letter written by artist sol lewitt to artist eva hesse in 1965. With this assurance i hope to justify his confidence. While hesses and lewitts practices diverged in innumerable, seemingly antithetical ways, this exhibition illuminates the crucial impact of their friendship on both their art and their. In 1960, pioneering american artists sol lewitt and eva hesse. On april 14 1965, sol lewitt september 9, 1928april 8, 2007 wrote to his friend eva hesse january 11, 1936 may 29, 1970 about the sculptors creative block. Yes i know their work isnt about pastels but what i want to share with you is a letter that lewitt wrote his friend hesse on 14 april 1965 while she was in germany.
The sherlock and bond actor dramatizes radical artist sol lewitts advice to sculptor eva hesse. These artists are his influences because lewitt was exposed to him during his initial job in the city. Benedict cumberbatch passionately reads sol lewitts. Sol lewitts electrifying letter of advice on selfdoubt. Love letter, jan 75, 1975 postcard from pat steir to sol lewitt. Sol lewitt to eva hesse read by benedict cumberbatch youtube. A blind man can make art if what is in his mind can be passed to another mind in some tangible form, he once said. To the sculptor eva hesse, he once wrote a letter while she was living in germany and at a point when her. In 1965, eva found herself facing a creative block during. These occupy nearly an acre of specially built interior walls that have been installedper lewitts own specificationsover three stories of a historic mill building situated at the heart of mass mocas campus. In 1960, pioneering american artists sol lewitt and eva hesse met for the first time and instantly clicked, quickly forming a strong, deep bond that would last for ten years and result in countless inspirational discussions and rich exchanges of ideas in the video below, benedict cumberbatch reads a letter sent from sol to eva about creative blocks as part of the letters live event in. While hesse s and lewitt s practices diverged in innumerable, seemingly antithetical ways, this exhibition illuminates the crucial impact of their friendship on both their art and their.
Eva hesse january 11, 1936 may 29, 1970 was a germanborn american sculptor known for her pioneering work in materials such as latex, fiberglass, and plastics. Eva hesse and sol lewitt, edited by veronica roberts and including essays by lucy r. Dear eva, tuill be almot a month prince yow wrote to me and you have possibly forgotten your state of mind a douttet i boringh yote seem the same as always. Lewitt came to fame in the late 1960s with his wall drawings and structures a term he preferred instead of sculptures but was prolific in a wide range of media including drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, installation and artist. In april of 1965, artist sol lewitt wrote a letter of encouragement to his friend eva hesse, a sculptor. The answer to that, and to other elemental perplexities of the creative life, is what the artist sol lewitt september 9, 1928april 8, 2007 offers in a spectacular 1965 letter to the trailblazing sculptor eva hesse, whom he had befriended five years earlier. Sol lewitt was an iconic american artist whose work helped to establish both minimalism and conceptual art. Sol lewitt to eva hesse read by benedict cumberbatch. Sol lewitt, american artist whose work provides a link between minimalism and conceptual art. Benedict cumberbatch passionately reads sol lewitts famous.
Letter from sol lewitt to eva hesse, april 14, 1965 hesse had written to her friend lewitt about. Page 1 of lewitts letter to hesse courtesy of the lewitt collection. See more ideas about sol lewitt, sculpture installation, conceptual art. The sherlock and bond actor dramatizes radical artist sol lewitt s advice to sculptor eva hesse in 1960, pioneering american artists sol lewitt and eva hesse. Eva hesse and sol lewitt, hesse quietly slips into the viewers mind as one gazes upon the five graphpaper drawings in the second room of the exhibition. She is one of the artists who ushered in the postminimal art movement in the 1960s. Guildess director, ashley gustafson selected this letter from artists sol lewitt to eva hesse, to inspire our blog readers to create art during these hot summer days. In 1960, pioneering american artists sol lewitt and eva hesse met for the first time and. Recently i came across a catalogue of an exhibition converging lines that showed the artwork of sol lewitt and eva hesse. Sol lewitt letter to eva hesse read by benedict cumberbatch. All funding, website design and administering were sponsored by barbara krakow gallery. In a letter written to her close friend sol lewitt, hesse described this work as looking like a breast and a penis.
Sol lewitt earned a place in the history of art for his leading role in the conceptual movement. Learn to say fuck you to the world once in a while. Jody dolethe lewitt estateartists rights society williamstown in the 1950s and 60s, a rash of american artists revolted against the idea that art. Dear eva, it will be almost a month since you wrote to me and you have possibly forgotten your state of mind i doubt it though. His belief in the artist as a generator of ideas was instrumental in the transition from the modern to the postmodern era. Solomon sol lewitt september 9, 1928 april 8, 2007 was an american artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism. As stephanie buhmann details, despite superficial disparities lewitts oeuvre is usually thought of as ideadriven while hesses works reflect the opposite. A letter by sol lewitt to eva hesse the red journal.
In the most striking works made by eva hesse in the blanton museum of arts converging lines. The sinuous lines of influence between eva hesse and sol. Organized by veronica roberts, the blantons curator of modern and contemporary art, the exhibition featured approximately 50 works, including many that. Solomon sol lewitt september 9, 1928 april 8, 2007 was an american artist linked to various movements, including conceptual art and minimalism lewitt came to fame in. A page from sol lewitts 1965 letter to eva hesse click to enlarge image by jillian steinhauer for hyperallergic the letter is well worth revisiting any time you find yourself. A rtist sol lewitt understood fear and the importance of doing. The creative fires and a letter to eva hesse holding hearts. Whereas previous scholarship has examined lewitts impact on hesse, this is the first publication to demonstrate that the.
One of the leading exponents of conceptual art, sol lewitt stressed the idea behind his work over its execution. See available prints and multiples, works on paper, and sculpture for sale and learn about the artist. Sol lewitt had many influences from his job at the modern museum of art, where he saw works by jasper johns, frank stella and robert rauschenberg. The editor has written me that he is in favor of avoiding the notion that the artist is a kind of ape that has to be explained by the civilized critic. As stephanie buhmann details, despite superficial disparities lewitt s oeuvre is usually thought of as ideadriven while hesse s works reflect the opposite. Eva hesse, in sol lewitt, exhibition catalogue the. Benedict cumberbatch channels exasperated sol lewitt. If you know none of these people and are just having a bad day, all will be made right in six minutes or less.
Eva hesse and sol lewitt formed a close friendship between the late 1950s and hesses death in 1970. Benedict cumberbatch reads sol lewitts letter to eva hesse. Lewitt is best known for his largescale wall drawings, rigorous arrays of designs, shapes, grids, and. Lewitt is one of the seminal artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, influencing artists like eva hesse and frank stella, among countless others.
Published as a catalogue for the current exhibition at the. While the exhibition recaptures hesses and lewitts relationship through its visuals, the many dedications that are found on the works for eva, for sol, as well as one long letter from lewitt to hesse, add a sense of poignancy. A page from sol lewitts 1965 letter to eva hesse click to enlarge at the far end of the gallery, a case displays lewitts now famous 1965 letter to hesse, five pages of playful, unrelenting. Eva hesse and sol lewitt celebrates the close friendship between two of the most significant american artists of the postwar era. Lippard, veronica roberts, and kirsten swenson the book celebrates the close friendship that hesse and lewitt formed between the late 1950s and hesses death in 1970, and sheds light, too, on their closeknit circle of. Converging lines celebrates this friendship and offers an illuminating look at their closeknit new york circle. A wall drawing retrospective comprises 105 of lewitts largescale wall drawings, spanning the artists career from 1969 to 2007. Austin kleon letter from sol lewitt to eva hesse, april 14.
The corresponding influence that their aesthetics had on each others work is chronicled in converging lines. Paragraphs on conceptual art sol lewitt corner college. It was in 1960s new york that eva hesse and sol lewitt became friends, and went on to become two of the most influential artists of the century. Eva hesse and sol lewitt celebrated the close friendship between two of the most significant american artists of the postwar era. For both, art meant everything, but with hesse, selfdoubt was a constant companion. Sol lewitt s letter of advice on selfdoubt, overcoming creative block, and being an artist. In 1960, pioneering american artists sol lewitt and eva hesse met for the first time and became close friends. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. Sol lewitt letter to eva hesse, with thanks to veronica roberts. You seem the same as always, and being you, hate every minute of it. Benedict cumberbatch passionately reads sol lewitts famous letter to eva hesse.
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