Emmett Williams Projects with Ay-O & Yo-Yo Ma

Barbara Wien gallery & art bookshop Schöneberger Ufer 65, 3rd floor 10785 Berlin Germany fon +49-30-28385352 fax -50 mobil +49-173-6156996 [email protected] www.barbarawien.de Emmett Williams born 1925 Greenville, South Carolina, USA died 2007 Berlin, Germany

Education

1947-1949 Kenyon College (BA), Ohio, USA

Solo exhibitions

2015 Tribute to Emmett Williams, Galeria AT, Poznan

2011 Self-Portraits and Dedications, Galerie & Edition Marlene Frei, Zurich

2008 Ein Berliner Amerikaner, Stiftung Ahlers Pro Arte / Keshner Pro Arte, Hannover Hommage an Emmett Williams, Atrium - museum FLUXUS+, Potsdam

2007 A Life in Flux - and Vice Versa, Werke von 1958 - 2007, Galerie Marlene Frei, Zurich FLUXZEUGBILDER, BSM Excursion, art+life shop, Potsdam

2006 Lichtskulpturen, Emerson Gallery, Berlin

2005 Kunstfibeln & Fluxfabeln, Kunstpunkt Darmstadt, Darmstadt Hommage à Emmett Williams, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund Art in Flux & Vice Versa, Centrum Kultury ZAMEK, Poznan

2004 Ich bin ein... was?, Haus am Lützowplatz, Berlin Recyclings, Galerie & Edition Marlene Frei, Zürich

2002 Story Lines, Emily Harvey Gallery, New York

2000 Neue Arbeiten, Galerie & Edition Marlene Frei, Zürich Märchenstundengebilde, Haus am Lützowplatz, Berlin

1999 POPOPOESIE, Wiens Laden & Verlag, Berlin

1998 Kunstfibel, Art Forum Berlin with Galerie & Edition Marlene Frei, Berlin

1997 Belgian Portaits, Mum’s Tattoo, Antwerp Fresh Impressionism, Emily Harvey Gallery, New York Emmett Williams online, Virtualitas: Fine Arts Online, the First Real Virtual Gallery, www.VIRTUALIS.COM, Berlin

1996 New Works, Galerie Marlene Frei, Zurich Hannah Hoech Prize, Berlinische Galerie, Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin

1995 Little Men Looking Around, Sarenco Club Art Gallery, Verona

1994 New Paintings, Galerie beim Steinernen Kreuz, Bremen Portraits, Fine Art, Berlin

1993 New Works, Fukui-Sinbun Gallery, Fukui (Japan) Portraits 1992, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati

1992 African Fiesta and Malindi Concrete Poems, Kenya, Malindi Art Gallery, Malindi Sand Paintings, Kenya, Artificio & Artefatto Gallery, Malindi Portraits, Bellevue-Saal, Wiesbaden

1991 Fiesta Africana + Undici Poemi Concreti de Malindi, Domus Jani: Istituto Internazionale per L’Arte Totale, Illasi Twenty-one Proposals for the Stained-Glass Windows of the Fluxus Cathedral, Galerie Zielke, Berlin Word Games - retrospective exhibition of print works, Artists’ Museum, Lodz 1990Emmett Williams à Québec, Le Lieu: Centre en art actuel, Québec Jigazo (Self-portraits) Fukui-Sinbun Gallery, Fukui (Japan) Flux Post und Post Flux, Galerie Marlene Frei, Zurich

1989 Multiples, Centre de Gravure Contemporaine, Geneva

1987 Prints & Collages, Kunstverein, Friedrichshafen Light Sculptures in Colour, Cultural Center, Ono, Japan (Fukui Pref.) Works of Emmett Williams in the Ay-O Collection, Machida-shi Museum of Graphic Arts, Tokyo

1986 ABC etc. lub ABC itd. lub..., Galeria Akumulatory II, Poznan Poems on Canvas, Galeria Riviera Remont, Warsaw Tête-à-tête, Galerie Marlene Frei, Zurich Painting & Collages, Wewerka Gallery, Hannover

1985 Fiesta!, Petersen Galerie, Berlin

1984 Metamorphoses, Galeria Akumulatory, Poznan Metamorphoses, Galeria Riviera Remont, Warsaw

1983 Books, Posters & Relics, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris Collages, Galerie Donguy, Paris Books, Prints and Posters, Buchhandlung König, Cologne

1982 Schemes & Variations, National Gallery, Berlin

1981 Impressions of Japan, Fukui Schemes & Variations, Gemeente Museum, The Hague Portrety i Podroze, Galeria Akumulatory, Poznan Podroze i Portrety, Galeria Piwna, Warsaw Sketches for “Kivik Smorgasbord”, Galleri Leger, Malmö

1980 Generations and Continuities, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

1979 Graphic Portraits, Print Gallery Pieter Brattinga, Amsterdam Letters to Ay-O, Staatsgaleri, Stuttgart

1978 Serial Paintings, Lithographs and Drawings, The John and Norah Warbecke Gallery, Mount Holyoke College (Massa- chusetts), Letters to Ay-O, Print Gallery Pieter Brattinga, Amsterdam

1977 Horoscope, Print Gallery, Tokyo Anti-Portrait Paintings, Nantenshi Gallery, Tokyo

1975 Books and Lithographs, Thumb Gallery, London

1973 Variations Upon a Spoerri Landscape, Galerie Inge Baecker, Bochum

1969 Black Light Poems on Canvas, University of Kentucky (Lexington) Open Studios, IASPIS, Stockholm Protections (curated by Adam Budak), Kunsthaus Graz, Graz Jump Into Cold Water (curated by Katarina Schlieben, Sønke Gau), Shedhalle, Zürich Grazer Kunstverein, Graz

For more detailed information on Emmett Williams, please visit his official website www.emmett-williams.com Ay-O born 1931 Ibaraki, Japan Lives and works in Japan

Education

1945 Tokyo University of Education

An active member of the Fluxus movement, Ay-O has exhibited internationally since the 1960s and represented Japan at the Venice Biennale in 1966 and at the São Paulo Biennale in 1971. His work is held in collections such as the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and Kyoto and in the last decade has shown works at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Museum of Contemporary art Genoa and MOMA New York. Exhibition view of / Ausstellungsansicht von Emmett Williams - Projects with Ay-O & Yo-Yo Ma, Barbara Wien, Berlin, 2016 Exhibition view of / Ausstellungsansicht von Emmett Williams - Projects with Ay-O & Yo-Yo Ma, Barbara Wien, Berlin, 2016 Exhibition views of / Ausstellungsansichten von Emmett Williams - Projects with Ay-O & Yo-Yo Ma, Barbara Wien, Berlin, 2016 From The Book of O series 1958 Emmett Williams, From The Book of O series, 1958 Exhibition view of / Ausstellungsansicht von Emmett Williams - Projects with Ay-O & Yo-Yo Ma, Barbara Wien, Berlin, 2016 Eyes a Surprise Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Astronauts in UFO-land Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert “Listen, My Children, and You Shall Hear...” Monoprint on paper, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signiert & datiert From the Book of O, #3 Monoprint on paper, 28 x 21,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 28 x 21,5 cm, signiert & datiert Centering Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Masquerade Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Shakespeare Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Family Reunion Monoprint on paper, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signiert & datiert Ready-Aim-Fire Monoprint on paper, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signiert & datiert Diabolical Brat Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Love at first sight Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Cornucopia Monoprint on paper, 28 x 21,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 28 x 21,5 cm, signiert & datiert The Last Judgment Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Faces in the Crowd Monoprint on paper, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signiert & datiert From the Book of O, #1 Monoprint on paper, 21 x 29,7 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21 x 29,7 cm, signiert & datiert From the Book of O, #2 Monoprint on paper, 21 x 29,7 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21 x 29,7 cm, signiert & datiert “Tiger, Tiger...” Monoprint on paper, 43 x 30 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 43 x 30 cm, signiert & datiert Things Are Looking Up Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert The Face of Despair Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Josephine Baker Takes a Bow Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Angels in Black-face Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Fandango Monoprint on paper, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signiert & datiert Untitled, #1 Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Untitled, #2 Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Untitled, #3 Monoprint on paper, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signed & not dated Monoprint auf Papier, 15,8 x 21,5 cm, signiert & undatiert Untitled, #4 Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, signiert & datiert Untitled, #5 Monoprint on paper, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, not signed & not dated Monoprint auf Papier, 21,5 x 15,8 cm, unsigniert & undatiert Other works Emmett Williams The Old Graveyard in the City of A’s 1958 Monoprint on paper, 41 x 30,5 cm, signed & dated Monoprint auf Papier, 41 x 30,5 cm, signiert & datiert Emmett Williams “We hold these truths to be self-evident....” 1969 Paint on paper, 58,5 x 81 cm, signed & dated Farbe auf Papier, 58,5 x 81 cm, signiert & datiert Emmett Williams Incidental Music for Yo-Yo Ma 1979 As installation with graphic series, music by Yo-Yo Ma on CD and the photographs by R. Gardner: Als Installation mit der Grafikserie, Musik von Yo-Yo Ma auf CD und den Photographien von R. Gardner:

Emmett Williams Incidental Music for Yo-Yo Ma 1979 10 Serigraphs, each 48,5 x 66 cm, ed. of 30, 26 sets signed and numbered A/Z through Z/Z and 4 sets a.p. 10 Serigrafien, je 48,5 x 66 cm, Aufl. 30, davon 26 Sets, signiert und nummeriert von A/Z bis Z/Z und 4 Sets a.p.

Robert Gardner Photos from the performance of Incidental Music for Yo Yo Ma 1980 2 Analogue photo prints, each 20,5 x 25 cm, one is signed & dated by Bob Gardner (1992) 2 analoge Fotodrucke, je 20,5 x 25 cm, ein Druck ist signiert & datiert von Bob Gardner (1992) Emmett Williams Many are called but few are chosen, or, real Fluxus artists are not afraid of getting their feet wet 1979 Serigraph, acrylic pens, 50 x 70 cm (framed), signed & dated Serigrafie, Acrylstifte, 50 x 70 cm (gerahmt), signiert & datiert Emmett Williams Untitled 1984 4 images on cardboard, acrylic paint ad spray, 24,5 x 24,5cm , signed & dated 4 Bilder auf Karton, Acrylfarbe und Spray, 24,5 x 24,5 cm, signiert & datiert Emmett Williams Untitled 1985 Oil on canvas, 68 x 100 cm, signed & dated Öl auf Leinwand, 68 x 100 cm, signiert & datiert Emmett Williams Humpty Dumpty – After the Fall 1987 Collage on cardboard, 29 x 26 cm (49 x 43 cm framed), signed & dated Collage auf Pappe, 29 x 26 cm (49 x 43 cm gerahmt), signiert & datiert Emmett Williams Hello Out There... 1989 Silkscreen print on canvas, 148,5 x 178,5 cm, signed & dated, edition unknown + 3 a.p. Siebdruck auf Leinwand, 148,5 x 178,5 cm, signiert & datiert, Auflage unbekannt + 3 a.p. Ay-O & Emmett Williams Hole 1968 Etching, punctured by Williams, 45 x 45 cm (68 x 62 cm framed), signed & dated, (edition of 20 / I a.p.) Radierung, durchbohrt von Williams, 45 x 45 cm (68 x 62 cm gerahmt), signiert & datiert, (Aufl. 20 / I a.p.) Emmett Williams & Ay-O when this you see remember me Latin stamps, Japanese stamps, a.p. Lateinische Stempel, japanische Stempel, a.p. not for sale / unverkäuflich 9.3.2016 Emmett Williams - artforum.com / critics' picks

Emmett Williams BARBARA WIEN Schöneberger Ufer 65, 3rd Floor February 13–April 16 When one thinks of Emmett Williams, one might think of Fluxus and his autobiography My Life in Flux—and Vice Versa (1992), or of his many years as an editor at Dick Higgins’s Something Else Press. Or there are always his numerous volumes of concrete poetry, such as Sweethearts (1966) and The Boy and the Bird (1979), as well as the influential An Anthology of Concrete Poetry (1967), which he edited.

This exhibition, though, is dedicated to Williams’s friendship and artistic collaboration with two contemporaries: Japanese artist Ay-O and Chinese American cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Williams’s ten-part Incidental Music for Yo-Yo Ma, 1979, consists of increasingly View of “Emmett Williams: Projects with Ay-O detailed photocopy enlargements of blank sheet music that and Yo-Yo Ma,” 2016. eventually turn the paper’s grain into abstract patterns. Ma performed an adaptation of Bach’s Suites for Cello (ca. 1717–23) with Williams’s score at Harvard in 1980 together with the composer Ivan Tcherepnin on synthesizer. For the first time in Berlin—where Williams lived from 1980 until his death in 2007—his score and photo and audio documentation of the performance are presented together. Among Williams’s collaborative works with Ay-O is an untitled and undated series of stamps that, when joined, form Gertrude Stein’s line “When this you see remember me” in English and Japanese. In the second gallery space, alongside various prints by Williams, some from his The Book of O (1958), one can also see Ay-O’s artists’ book Ouzel, 1972. With essential works provided by Williams’s widow, artist Ann Noël, the show’s obliquely personal approach makes Williams’s belief in a universal humor especially clear.

Translated from German by Diana Reese.

— Fiona McGovern

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