Monumental Minimal

Showcasing 21 works by the artists who spearheaded minimalism–Donald Judd, Carl Andre, Dan Flavin, Robert Mangold, Sol LeWitt and Robert Morris–this catalog seeks to explore these artists’ ambivalent relationship to the notion of the monument. In this respect, Dan Flavin’s 1967 Monument, a stepped formation of white fluorescent tubes dedicated to Russian artist Vladimir Tatlin, is the chronological and conceptual starting-point of the exhibition. This emblematic work demonstrates the importance of constructivist theories for minimalism, and the European roots of an art often considered to be typically American. The exhibition looks into transatlantic exchanges and influences for the artists of the New York scene: Carl Andre and Robert Morris have both recognized the influence of Constantin Brancusi’s work on their own, while Robert Mangold has acknowledged his admiration of Piet Mondrian. Alongside an essay by curator Philippe Vergne, Monumental Minimal includes full-spread installation views of the exhibition as well as archival photographs.