(Speculative) Realism: the Objects of Conceptual and Post-Conceptual Art
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Materialism to (Speculative) Realism: The Objects of Conceptual and Post-Conceptual Art By Constanza Salazar A Thesis Presented to The University of Guelph In partial fulfillment of requirements For the degree of Master of Arts In Art History and Visual Culture Guelph, Ontario, Canada © Constanza Salazar, July, 2015 ABSTRACT MATERIALISM TO (SPECULATIVE) REALISM: THE OBJECTS OF CONCEPTUAL AND POST-CONCEPTUAL ART Constanza Salazar Advisor: University of Guelph, 2015 Professor A. Boetzkes This thesis is an investigation which overturns the misconceptions of Conceptual art and its legacies in order to illuminate the movement’s contributions to subsequent art-making and aesthetics. While initially conceived to promote the “dematerialization of art,” Conceptual art instead expanded the rigid definition of art from Greenberg’s modernist aesthetics and explored new avenues of art-making. This thesis reconsiders the medium of language within the work of Conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner and the Post-Conceptual artists Judy Natal and Jung Lee as it overcomes the characteristics of dematerialization. Instead, within the theoretical model of Speculative Realism, art-objects and language can be further understood as ontological and autonomous entities that withdraw from human-access and which only relate to other objects vicariously. Art is thus able to overcome the assumption of a passive, human-dependent object and instead challenges our perception of objects and the interpretations and analyses we derive from their surface qualities. DEDICATION For our countless conversations about philosophy, art and theology and to your transcendent presence: to Aracely del Carmen Salazar-Clára. To Don Raul Antonio Salazar-Sigüenza and our conversations that only exist in dreams. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I arrived at the program without an art history background but instead with a background in studio art and philosophy. I was uncertain about my place in the department especially among my colleagues which had a greater understanding of art history. Despite this, with each passing day, I soon learned that I was capable of contributing to the discipline in a different way. While I would like to thank the department of Art History and Visual Culture for their warmth, acceptance and to all the inspiring faculty members, there is one person to whom I owe this work and my new-found faith as a future scholar within the discipline of Art History. I would like to thank Dr. Boetzkes for her incredible patience, belief and enthusiasm for my respect and love of theory and this ambitious endeavor. Dr. Boetzkes’s work not only encouraged me to initially apply to the program of Art History and Visual Culture, but also continuously inspires me to work with much enthusiasm and determination. I would like to thank my husband, Razvan. His belief in my dreams of becoming a scholar was unwavering despite my own insecurities, countless sleepless nights and many manic days of work. You continuously take care of me even when I forget to. I would like to thank my colleagues and friends for our conversations about art, their encouragement and support. I shared the brightest days with you in the program. Finally, I would like to thank my family. When I first told them I wanted to study art and philosophy I remember thinking that I would be met with disappointment because I had resigned to not one, but two career paths towards unemployment. Instead, their love, encouragement, and patience continue to drive me forward. Their belief and pride in me only inspires me to live up to their hard work, determination and professionalism shown in their fields iv LIST OF FIGURES 1. Ad Reinhardt, Untitled, 1960. Oil on Canvas, 156.4 x 156.6 cm. From artstor.org 2. Yves Klein, Blue Monochrome, 1961. Dry Pigment in synthetic polymer medium on cotton over plywood, 195.1 x 140cm. From artstor.org 3. Robert Rauschenberg, White Painting (three panel), 1951. Latex paint on canvas, 182.88 x 274.32 cm. From artstor.org 4. Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917, replica 1964. Porcelain, 360 x 480 x 610mm. London: ©Tate Britain. Tate.org. 5. Frank Stella, Empress of India, 1965. Metallic powder in polymer emulsion paint on canvas, 195.6 x 548.6 cm. From artstor.org 6. Joseph Kosuth, One and Three Chairs, 1965. Exhibition version, 1969. Chair, picture of a chair, definition of a chair, dimensions variable. From artstor.org 7. Seth Siegelaub, “Xerox Book,” 1968. Book-exhibition. New York. From: artstor.org. 8. Lawrence Weiner, A Rectangle Removal From A Xeroxed Graph Sheet In Proportion To The Overall Dimensions Of The Sheet, 1968. One of the 25 photocopied pages from Xerox Book, Ed. Seth Siegelaub, New York. (Accessed September 19 2014). http://www.primaryinformation.org/ 9. Joseph Kosuth, Clock (One and Five), English/Latin Version, 1965. Clocks, photograph, printed definitions, dimensions variable. London: ©Tate Britain. Tate.org 10. René Magritte, La Trahison des Images (Ceci n’est pas une pipe), 1929. Oil on Canvas, 55 x 72cm. From artstor.org 11. Joseph Kosuth, One and Three Chairs (Una y Tres Sillas), 1965. Black and white photograph, enlargement of the definition of “chair” in Spanish, and wooden chair. Dimensions variable, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain. ©2015 Joseph Kosuth / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 12. John Baldessari, John Baldessari Sings LeWitt, 1972. San Francisco: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. http://www.sfmoma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/92 (Accessed September 19 2014). 13. Lawrence Weiner, A 36” x 36” Removal to the Lathing or Support Wall Plaster or Wallboard From a Wall, 1969. Exhibited for “When Attitudes Become Form (Works- Concepts-Processes-Situations-Information) at Kunsthalle Bern. Language and the materials referred to. From artstor.org v 14. Lawrence Weiner, An Object Tossed From One Country To Another, 1968. Language and the materials referred to. From March 1969 Catalogue-Exhibition, Ed. Seth Siegelaub. New York, 1969. http://www.primaryinformation.org/ (Accessed September 19 2014). 15. Lawrence Weiner, Many Colored Objects Placed Side By Side To Form A Row Of Many Colored Objects, 1982. Language and the materials referred to. Installation at the Raas van Gaverestraat 106 in Ghent, Belgium. Photographer Piet Ysabie © Herbert Foundation, Ghent. 16. Richard Serra, Verb List, 1967-1968. Graphite on paper, 2 sheets, each 10 x 8." Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, NY. 17. Richard Serra, Circuit, 1972. Hot roll steel, 8x24x1/12&apos. Installation view from Documenta V, Kassel, Germany. From artstor.org 18. Robert Morris Untitled (Mirrored Cubes), 1965, reconstructed 1971. Mirror glass and wood, 914 x 914 x 914 mm. London: ©Tate Britain. Tate.org. 19. Hans Haacke, Condensation Cube, 1963, fabricated 2008. Plastic and water, 30 x 30 x 30 in. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. http://hirshhorn.si.edu/ (Accessed September 18 2014). 20. Richard Serra, Tilted Arc, 1981. Cor-ten steel, 12 x 120 ft. Site-specific installation initially installed at Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building, New York. From: artstor.org 21. Michael Heizer, Double Negative 1969. Earth art, 49’ x 30’ x 1499’. Carp Elgin Rd, Nevada. From: https://ksamedia.osu.edu (Accessed September 19 2014). 22. Lawrence Weiner, All In Due Course ,2014. Language and the materials referred to. Installation view at South London Gallery. Courtesy of Lawrence Weiner (c) ARS, NY and DACS, London 2014. Photo by Andy Keate. 23. Lawrence Weiner, Staples, Stakes, Twine, Turf, 1968. Installation View at Windham College, Vermont. Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, NY. 24. Lawrence Weiner, One Pint Gloss White Lacquer Poured Directly Upon The Floor And Allowed To Dry, 1968. From: Lawrence Weiner: As Far As The Eye Can See 1960-2007. Eds. Ann Goldstein, Donna De Salvo. New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 2007. 25. Lawrence Weiner, “Declaration of Intent,” 1978. Installation view of the codicil in Lawrence Weiner at the Renaissance Society at University of Chicago, Illinois. From artstor.org. vi 26. Lawrence Weiner, Stones & Stones & Stones… , 1995. Language and the materials referred to. Installation view at Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. From artstor.org 27. Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Wrapped Reichstag, 1971-1995. Fabric, rope, dimensions variable. Site-specific installation, Berlin. From artstor.org 28. Lawrence Weiner, Many Colored Objects Placed Side By Side To Form A Row Of Many Colored Objects, 1982. Language and the materials referred to. Installation on the Fridericianum from Documenta 7 in Kassel, Germany. From: http://d13.documenta.de/de/#/de/archiv/d7-1982/ (Accessed November 10 2014). 29. Lawrence Weiner, Each Being Equal & Consistent…, 1991-1992. Language and the materials referred to. Installation view from Dia arts foundation: Chelsea, New York. Photo: Bill Jacobson. From: http://www.diaart.org/exhibitions/main/65 (Accessed November 10 2014). 30. Lawrence Weiner, Titanium & Lead & Air – Moving Into By Virtue Of Inherent Volition, 1991.Language and the Materials Referred To. Courtesy of Marian Goodman Gallery, New York. 31. Lawrence Weiner, Sand & Silver + Ferrous Oxide Having Space By Virtue Of Inherent Movement, 1991. Language and the Materials Referred To. Courtesy of Marian Goodman Gallery, New York. 32. Lawrence Weiner, The Salt Of The Earth Mingled With The Salt Of The Sea, 1984. Postcard. 10.5 x 14.8 cm. Courtesy of Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. 33. Lawrence Weiner, Smashed To Pieces (In The Still Of The Night), 1991. Language and the materials referred to. Installation on the World War II flak tower, Esterházypark, Vienna. Photo by Heinz Holzmann, 2009. Courtesy of KÖR Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Vienna. 34. Lawrence Weiner, More Saltpeter Than Black Powder and Enough [Black Powder] To Make It Explode, 2009. Language and the materials referred to. Installation view of two works at the Power Plant in Toronto.