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An image of Wall drawing #23: Drawing series A on aluminium box. One series on each face by Sol LeWitt

Sol LeWitt

(United States of America 09 Sep 1928–08 Apr 2007)

Title
Wall drawing #23: Drawing series A on aluminium box. One series on each face
Year
1969
Media categories
Drawing, Sculpture
Materials used
painted aluminum box with pencil
Dimensions

182.5 x 122.0 x 122.0cm

Signature & date
Signed Certificate of authenticity, black felt tip pen "Sol LeWitt". Not dated.
Credit
John Kaldor Family Collection at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
Accession number
355.2011
Copyright
© Estate of Sol LeWitt/ARS. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney
Location
Not on display
Further information

Drawn by: Adrian Piper
First Installation: Dwan Gallery, New York, September 1969

In 1968, Seth Siegelaub asked several artists to contribute to a photocopied book, which was called the 'Xerox Book'. Seth asked Sol to contribute 25 pages and so Sol came up with a system of 24 permutations all based on lines in four directions. The changes to each line were made by rotating the numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) in four sections of four.The 25th page was the key.

Later, Sol decided he wanted to make a more complete statement of the statement and used four different methods of change to the line (the complex version of each permutation). So, each group of 24 permutations were done in two ways, simple and complex (superimposed) versions. This was published as an artist book by Sperone Gallery in 1974, however, Sol worked out the entire system of the complex versions in 1969-1970.

The Drawing Series are divided into four series:
Drawing Series I: Rotation
Drawing Series II: Mirror
Drawing Series III: Cross & Reverse Mirror
Drawing Series IV: Cross Reverse
Each Drawing Series has a Simple and a Complex Version:

Simple Versions (Series A)
1: Vertical lines
2: Horizontal Lines
3: Diagonal Left to Right
4: Diagonal Right to Left

Complex Versions (Series B)
1. Vertical is the same (1)
2. Vertical + Horizontal
3. Vertical + Horizontal + Diagonal Left to Right
4. Vertical + Horizontal + Diagonal Left to Right + Diagonal Right to Left.

'Wall drawing #23: Drawing series A on aluminium box. One series on each face' is from Drawing Series 1A (Simple) 1, 2, 3, 4

Information from Sofia LeWitt, 6 October 2010

Bibliography (3)

Wayne Tunnicliffe (New Zealand; Australia) (Editor), John Kaldor Family Collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2011, 104-105 (colour illus.). illustration on page 104 is a detail

Adam Free (Australia) (Author), Journey to now: John Kaldor art projects and collection, Adelaide, 2003.

Sol LeWitt (United States of America, b.1928, d.2007) (Author), Sol LeWitt: The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1978, 90. no.156

Exhibition history (2)

Wall Drawings, Dwan Gallery, 04 Oct 1969–30 Oct 1969.

Journey to Now: John Kaldor Art Projects and Collection, Art Gallery of South Australia, 18 Apr 2003–06 Jul 2003.