Untitled, 1974; Screenprint on Dutch Etching paper; Numbered 9/100 lower left; Signed R. Morris and dated 74 lower right; Co-published by Multiples Inc. and Castelli Graphics, New York; Size - Sheet: 22 x 30"; Unframed.
"Simplicity of shape does not necessarily equate to simplicity of experience." - Robert Morris
Robert Morris (b. 1931) is an American sculptor, print maker, conceptual artist, and writer. He is regarded as one of the most influential artists of Minimalism, through both his extensive theoretical writings and sculptures. Through his artwork, he was able to explore and advance the ideas of chance, ephemeral, and temporal aspects of art. Morris has also made important contributions to the development of Performance Art, Land Art, Process Art, and Installation Art.
Morris set forth a vision of art that was pared down to simple geometric shapes that had been stripped of any metaphorical associations, and focused on the artwork's interaction with the viewer. What set Morris apart from his fellow Minimalists such as Donald Judd and Cart Andre, is that Morris was advancing other contemporary American Art movements, most notably, Process Art and Land Art.
In the mid-1960s, Morris created some of the key exemplars of Minimalist sculpture: enormous, repeated geometric forms, such as cubes and rectangular beams devoid of figuration, surface texture, or expressive content. These works forced the viewer to consider the arrangement and scale of the forms themselves, and how perception shifted as one moved around them, which was a central preoccupation of Minimalism Morris's 1966 essay "Notes on Sculpture" was among the first to articulate the experiential basis of Minimalist artwork. It called for the use of simple forms, such as polyhedrons, which could be grasped intuitively by the viewer. and also described Minimalist sculptures as dependent on the context and conditions in which they were perceived, essentially upending the notion of the artwork as independent in and of itself.
Merce
Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer was a leader
in field for over 50 years. He is also remembered for his collaboration
with other artists in other mediums including: John Cage, Robert
Rauschenberg Bruce Nauman, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol.
Cunningham's performance, "Canfield" premiered on March 4, 1969. The title is derived from a solitaire card game that Merce played while on vacation. He decided to use chance to determine the sequence of movements, and assigned a motion to each card in the deck; while the red and black suits denoted fast and slow motions respectively. Pauline Oliveros composed the score, Jasper Johns designed the costumes, and Robert Morris designed the set that featured a grey vertical beam that moved back and forth across the front of the stage. A light was positioned on the back of the beam aimed at a black cloth that intensified the illumination when a dancer was performing.
Close up of the R. Morris signature and date.
Close up of the edition number.
"Untitled," 1974 is a wonderful work by Robert Morris. A classic hard edge geometric composition creating a maze or labyrinth, with either an entrance or exit located in the bottom right. Over the years Morris has produced multiple versions of a labyrinth constructed out of wood, and more recently glass. This is a great addition to any art collection!
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