Lisson Gallery

Sol LeWitt

Sol LeWitt (1928-2007) was pivotal in the creation of the new radical aesthetic of the 1960's that was a revolutionary contradiction to the 'Abstract Expressionism' current in the 1950's and 60's New York school. He had no interest in inherent narrative or descriptive imagery. LeWitt, like no other artist of his generation, had always maintained the importance of the concept or idea and, apart from his original works on paper, the work is executed by others to clear and strict instructions. As one of the first coherent proponents of conceptual art with his writings, Sentences on Conceptual Art (1969), LeWitt's work continues to be regarded and referred to by a younger generation of artists as one of the seminal investigations into 'idea' and 'concept' art. He continued to challenge new thinking about what art can be. "If the artist carried through his idea and makes it into visible form, then all the steps in the process are of importance. The idea itself, even if not made visual, is as much a work of art as any finished product." Stated LeWitt in 1971. "All intervening steps, scribbles, sketches, drawings, failed work models, studies thoughts, conversations, are of interest. Those that show the thought process of the artist are sometimes more interesting than the final product." (LeWitt, 'Paragraphs on Conceptual Art', Artforum Vol.5, no. 10, Summer 1967, pp. 79-83)

Born in 1928 in Hartford Connecticut, USA, LeWitt continued to work up until his death in early 2007. After studying a bachelors degree in Fine Art at Syracuse University until 1949, he worked as a graphic designer for I.M Pei's architecture office in New York. In 1960 LeWitt took a job at the Museum of Modern Art in New York at the book counter where his co-workers included Robert Ryman, Dan Flavin and Robert Mangold, situating him in the midst of young artists searching for a new direction in art. LeWitt participated in seminal group exhibitions including 'Primary Structures', Jewish Museum, New York, NY, USA and '10', Dwan Gallery, New York, NY, USA both in 1966, dOCUMENTA IV in 1968 and Harald Szeeman's exhibition 'When Attitude Becomes Form', Kunsthalle Bern, Switzerland and Institute of Contemporary Art, London, UK (1969).

A major retrospective of Lewitt's work was organised by the San Francisco Museum of Art in 2000 and then travelled to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL, USA and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, USA. His works are found in the most important museum collections including:  Tate Collection, London, UK; Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Musee National d'Art Moderne, Paris, France; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; Australian National Gallery, Canberra, Australia; Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY, USA; MoMA, New York, NY, USA; Dia:Beacon, NY, USA; National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA; and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC, USA. 

"Sol Lewitt had a pivotal role for Lisson Gallery, especially in the early days. He and I worked intensively together embarking on projects, exhibitions at the gallery and the production of work. I also assisted Sol in building his extraordinary collection of living artists. He was exemplary as a model artist in terms of his attitude, his openness, generosity and fair handedness. His spirit lives on with us, and is deeply embedded in the culture of the gallery." - Nicholas Logsdail

 

Wall Drawings

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawings

2006
Installation view, Lisson Gallery, 29 Bell St, London 29 November 2006 - 20 January 2007

Wall Drawings

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawings

2006
Installation view, Lisson Gallery, 29 Bell St, London 29 November 2006 - 20 January 2007

Wall Drawings

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawings

2006
Installation view, Lisson Gallery, 29 Bell St, London 29 November 2006 - 20 January 2007

Wall Drawings

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawings

2006
Installation view, Lisson Gallery, 29 Bell St, London 29 November 2006 - 20 January 2007

Wall Drawings

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawings

2006
Installation view, Lisson Gallery, 29 Bell St, London 29 November 2006 - 20 January 2007

Wall Drawings

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawings

2006
Installation view, Lisson Gallery, 29 Bell St, London 29 November 2006 - 20 January 2007

Scribbles (Lisson)

Sol LeWitt
Scribbles (Lisson)

2006
Graphite

Wall Drawing #1138: Forms composed of bands of color

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawing #1138: Forms composed of bands of color

2004
Acrylic paint Dimensions variable Installation view, Lisson Gallery, London

Wall Drawing #1139: Forms composed of bands of black and white

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawing #1139: Forms composed of bands of black and white

2004
Acrylic paint Dimensions variable Installation view, Lisson Gallery, London

Wall Drawing No. 821 A square is divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts, each with a different direction of alternating flat black and glossy black bands

Sol LeWitt
Wall Drawing No. 821 A square is divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts, each with a different direction of alternating flat black and glossy black bands

1997
Acrylic paint Installation dimensions variable

Open Geometric Structure 1

Sol LeWitt
Open Geometric Structure 1

1990
Paint on wood 98 x 98 x 438 cm 38.6 x 38.6 x 172.4 in

Form Derived From a Cubic Rectangle

Sol LeWitt
Form Derived From a Cubic Rectangle

1989
Gouache on paper 69.5 x 87 cm 27.4 x 34.3 in

Form Derived From a Cubic Rectangle

Sol LeWitt
Form Derived From a Cubic Rectangle

1989
Gouache on paper 69.5 x 87 cm 27.4 x 34.3 in

Complex Forms No. 5

Sol LeWitt
Complex Forms No. 5

1988
Painted wood

Pyramid (Ref 5)

Sol LeWitt
Pyramid (Ref 5)

1985
White painted wood
53 x 88.5 x 64.5 cm 20.9 x 34.8 x 25.4 in

Geometric Structures

Sol LeWitt
Geometric Structures

1979
Painted hardwood with plywood bases
144 x 126 x 14 inches 365.8 x 320 x 35.6 cm

Five Open Geometric Structures

Sol LeWitt
Five Open Geometric Structures

1979
Acrylic on mahogany

Incomplete Open Cube No.5-6

Sol LeWitt
Incomplete Open Cube No.5-6

1974
Paint on aluminium 108 x 108 x 108 cm 42.5 x 42.5 x 42.5 in

Incomplete Open Cube No.5-6

Sol LeWitt
Incomplete Open Cube No.5-6

1974
Paint on aluminium
108 x 108 x 108 cm 42.5 x 42.5 x 42.5 in

Exhibitions

  1. Sol LeWitt

    Sol LeWitt

    29 November 2006 – 20 January 2007

  2. Sol LeWitt: New Work

    Sol LeWitt: New Work

    15 September – 23 October 2004

  3. Sol LeWitt: Wall Pieces

    Sol LeWitt: Wall Pieces

    21 May – 4 July 1998

  4. Sol LeWitt: New Structures

    Sol LeWitt: New Structures

    11 January – 9 February 1991

  5. Sol LeWitt

    Sol LeWitt

    17 July – 16 September 1989

  6. Sol LeWitt: Watercolours

    Sol LeWitt: Watercolours

    4 July – 10 September 1988

  7. Sol LeWitt

    Sol LeWitt

    9 November – 16 December 1984

  8. Sol LeWitt: Drawings, Watercolours and Prints

    Sol LeWitt: Drawings, Watercolours and Prints

    15 July – 6 August 1983

  9. Sol LeWitt: Geometric Structures

    Sol LeWitt: Geometric Structures

    24 January – 23 February 1979

  10. Sol LeWitt: New Works - Structures & Early Working Drawings

    Sol LeWitt: New Works - Structures & Early...

    10 March – 9 April 1977

  11. Sol LeWitt

    Sol LeWitt

    2 April – 2 May 1974

  12. Sol LeWitt: Lines through, toward and to centre points

    Sol LeWitt: Lines through, toward and to c...

    7 May – 15 June 1973

  13. Sol LeWitt: Walldrawings, drawings, prints

    Sol LeWitt: Walldrawings, drawings, prints

    14 June – 24 July 1971

  14. Wall Show

    Wall Show

    10 December 1970 – 30 January 1971

  15. Donald Judd & Sol LeWitt

    Donald Judd & Sol LeWitt

    22 September – 24 October 1970

Shop

  1. Four Basic Kinds of Lines & Colour

    Four Basic Kinds of Lines & Colour

  2. Open Geometric Structures: Five Geometric Structures and Their Combinations

    Open Geometric Structures: Five Geometric ...

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