Michael Werner Gallery is pleased to present an installation of sculpture and works on paper by the late American artist, James Lee Byars (1932-1997).
'The Moon Books: Above and Below'presents two important works by James Lee Byars never before exhibited in the United States. 'The Moon Books' 1989, is a sculptural work comprised of exquisitely carved marble objects arranged upon a large gilded table. The shapes of the individual marble pieces correspond to phases of the moon. In the current installation at Michael Werner, a multi-part work of cut black paper titled 'Eros (15 Moons)' 1993, is installed on the ceiling of the gallery, echoing the sculpture below. Both works in this exhibition'one crafted out of gilded marble and wood, the other with delicate black tissue'symbolize the artist's unending search for beauty and simplicity in materials and form.
James Lee Byars has been the subject of numerous museum exhibitions and retrospectives, including Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover; Kunsthalle Düsseldorf; Castello di Rivoli/Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, Turin; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston; Documenta IX, Kassel; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Paris; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Henry Moore Foundation, Leeds; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; The Arts Club of Chicago; and Fundaçao de Serralves, Porto. Major works by the artist were included in the 2001 SITE Santa Fe and the 1999 Venice Biennale. The artist was awarded the prestigious Ludwig Prize in 1996. In 2004 the Schirn Kunsthalle will present a comprehensive retrospective exhibition.
Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10am until 6pm.
Please contact the gallery for more information.