Carl Andre in ‘Brancusi: Pioneer of American Minimalism’ at Paul Kasmin Gallery

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‘All I’m doing is putting Brancusi’s Endless Column on the ground instead of in the sky,’ explained Minimalist sculpture Carl Andre in reference to ‘War & Rumors of War,’ a sculpture composed of 90 Australian hardwood timbers. The piece opens Paul Kasmin Gallery’s exhibition of two elegant Brancusi sculptures and works by the major American mid-century artists they inspired. (In Chelsea through June 20th).

Carl Andre, War and Rumors of War, 90 Australian hardwood timbers, overall: 35 ½ x 149 x 138 inches, 2002.

Sol LeWitt & Carl Andre at Paula Cooper Gallery

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Inspired by the Taoist notion that 10,000 is a number emblematic of infinity, late Minimalist Sol LeWitt created the plan for a wall drawing featuring 10,000 straight lines on each red, yellow or blue wall. In the foreground, Carl Andre’s 1979 Dracut is a more elemental but also forceful pattern created with short ‘lines’ of western red cedar. (At Paula Cooper Gallery’s 521 West 21st Street space through March 7th).

Sol LeWitt, Wall Drawing #992: Left Panel: 10,000 straight red lines; center panel: 10,000 straight yellow lines; right panel: 10,000 straight blue lines. The lines are of any length or direction. Red, yellow, blue markers. Dimensions variable. Foreground: Carl Andre, Dracut, 11 Western red cedar timbers, each 36 x 12 x 12 in, 1979.

Carl Andre at Paula Cooper Gallery

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Minimalist art pioneer Carl Andre accompanies his current Dia:Beacon retrospective with a show of work from the past thirty years at Paula Cooper Gallery. Here, two sculptures use cedar beams as building blocks, making an additive sculpture of strong, industrial materials. (Through July 25th).

Carl Andre, 4 x 4 Cedar Solid, 16 Western red cedar units, each 36 x 12 x 12 inches, 2008 (foreground). Bar, Douglas Fir (36 unit row), each 12 x 12 x 36 inches, 1981 (background).

Sylvie Fleury at Salon 94 Bowery

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Sylvie Fleury’s 1998 video ‘Walking on Carl Andre,’ features women’s feet as they pose on ‘60s Minimalist icon Carl Andre’s signature metal floor plate sculptures.  In this updated version, she allows visitors to try on a pair of heels and strut their stuff on an Andre replica in a feminizing collaboration that turns his masculine, industrial art product into a catwalk. (At Salon 94 Bowery through April 27th.)  

Sylvie Fleury, installation view of ‘It Might as Well Rain Until September,’ at Salon 94 Bowery, March 2013.

Carl Andre at Paula Cooper Gallery

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Carl Andre, Redoubt, 100 Western Red Cedar timbers, 1977.
Carl Andre, Redoubt, 100 Western Red Cedar timbers, 1977.

Four parallel rows of twenty-five Western Red Cedar timbers extend out from the walls of Chelsea’s Paula Cooper Gallery in Carl Andre’s 1977 piece ‘Redoubt.’  As much as it suggests a stronghold, the piece also recalls architectural ruins on the order of Roman ruins near Hadrian’s Wall. (through Dec 15th).