Precision
Prevails in the Sol Lewitt Collection
by Sara Rosenberg
Looking at some
of Sol Lewitt’s work for too long can make you dizzy, but it is well worth
it. The precision with which the pieces
in the Lewitt collection are executed is astounding, from his barely-visible
early work, to his bold and bright later pieces.
Lewitt’s
style is methodical and extremely mathematical, making sure that each piece is
executed exactly accurately every single time.
It is clear how meticulous the artist is when looking at his earliest
works, which are barely visible when looked at from a mere few feet away. You almost have to touch your nose to the
piece in order to fully appreciate it, but once it is visible it is both
amazing and intimidating. Each piece
looks simple from a short distance, but as one approaches the work they realize
that the larger design is actually composed of must more particular, intricate
smaller designs that were dictated by the artist. For example, one of the wall drawings from
Lewitt’s earlier days looks as though it is simply a bunch of squares, each composed
of sixteen smaller squares of varying shades.
What become apparent upon further inspection, however, is that each of
the sixteen small squares is actually made of hundreds—possibly thousands—of nearly
imperceptible squares. The effect of
squares-within-squares-within-squares dumbfounds the viewer and evokes a deeper
appreciation of the artist and the artwork itself.
It is safe to
say that the work of Solomon “Sol” Lewitt is impressive, meticulous, and
beautiful, among many other things.
Whether from his earliest collections or his most recent, the theme of
mathematics and precision prevail and continue to transfix those who view it.
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