Artists are mystics.

10 Dec 2009, Posted by Kylie in art,design, 0 Comments

I was recently privileged to visit the Dia Museum in Beacon, NY and caught the tail end of the Sol LeWitt Drawing Series that has been on exhibition there for the past three years. LeWitt is known as one of the forefathers of the conceptual art movement. He penned two manifestos, published in the 1960s, that explain the theoretical foundations of his art: “In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work… All decisions are made beforehand, so execution becomes a perfunctory affair.” All of LeWitt’s works are ideas, written as a set of specific instructions that can be executed by any person, at any time. Consequently, each instance of his work is a variation on the theme of his original concept. LeWitt’s works explore the fundamentals of geometry, often using the most basic of writing implements, pencils or crayons.

This being told, I knew nothing of LeWitt when I stumbled upon his  works at Dia. As I walked through the vast exhibition space, I was silenced by the enormous, detailed wall-drawings. I felt a sense of awe when I realized the pointed attention and discipline that went into executing his designs. Why was I so captured by these simplistic line forms- geometry… on walls… in pencil?

I now equate my experience with LeWitt to the way that I feel in nature: awed. contemplative. connected. LeWitt builds art, with reason and care, as the universe builds life- one line and circle at a time.

Though the Sol LeWitt exhibition at Dia has come down, you can view a retrospective of his work at MASS MoCA through 2033!