Exhibition of Sol LeWitt’s Exchanges of Artwork with Various Artists Opens at MASS MoCA

NORTH ADAMS, MA.- Although celebrated for the revolutionary role he played in the development of both Conceptualism and Minimalism, Sol LeWitt was also renowned for his exchanges of artwork with various artists throughout his lifetime. For LeWitt, the act of exchange seemed to be not only a personal gesture, but also an integral part of his conceptual practice. In addition to encouraging the circulation of artworks through a gift economy that challenged the art world’s dominant economic model, LeWitt’s exchanges with friends and strangers had the same qualities of generosity and risk that characterized his work in general. In the spirit of continuing the artist’s lifelong philosophy of open exchange, and in conjunction with the LeWitt Wall Drawing Retrospective on view at MASS MoCA through 2033, MASS MoCA and Cabinet present An Exchange with Sol LeWitt—a curatorial project initiated by independent curator Regine Basha. The two-part exhibition will be on view in MASS MoCA’s Prints and Drawings Gallery through March 31, 2011, and at the Cabinet exhibition and event space, located at 300 Nevins St. in Brooklyn, N.Y., through March 5, 2011.

The works of art that LeWitt received throughout his life, as well as records of what he offered in return, are maintained by the Sol LeWitt Private Collection in Chester, Connecticut — Eva Hesse, Steve Reich, Robert Mangold, Hanne Darboven, and Robert Ryman are some of the distinguished artists whose works are included in the collection. LeWitt did not restrict this practice to established contemporaries and friends, and consistently traded with admirers and amateur artists whom he did not know. Inspired by the artist’s code of conduct, Basha initiated an open call for images, objects, music, film, books, and ephemera. The response was overwhelming, with over one thousand submissions received from around the world. Featuring work in all media, as well as found objects and mementos, the exhibition will showcase contributions by artists Fia Backström, Luis Camnitzer, Teresita Fernandez, Harrell Fletcher, Jenny Perlin, Paul Ramirez Jonas, Pedro Reyes, Steve Roden, and Anton Vidokle/Julieta Aranda among hundreds of others.

Cabinet magazine’s exhibition space was inaugurated in the fall of 2008 to extend the award-winning, non-profit publication’s engagement with art and culture into the public realm. The venue hosts exhibitions of both contemporary art and historical materials, as well as an eclectic schedule of talks, screenings, and events.

Related posts:

1. MASS MoCA to Present Site-Specific Sculpture by Artist Federico Díaz
2. 13th Annual Postcards From the Edge Exhibition and Sale: International Artists Fight AIDS by Donating Artwork
3. First Comprehensive U.S. Museum Survey of Dennis Hopper Opens at MOCA
4. Faggionato Fine Art Opens Group Exhibition by Renowned International Artists
5. National Gallery Opens Exhibition by Jan Gossaert One of the Most Versatile Artists of the Renaissance