Lawrence Weiner's art can appear painted across an entire building, floating inside a souvenir biro or sung as a lyric by a country and western band. One of the canonical conceptual artists of the 1960s, this American-born artist was among the first to 'dematerialize' the object of art into the realm of language and ideas. He composes texts which describe process, material and structure whilst evoking a poetic vision which unfolds in the reader's mind. They are also contingent on the geography, architecture or function of a particular site and the viewer's personal associations. Using a utilitarian yet elegant typeface, stark monochrome or vivid colours, his works have a striking formal beauty. Dedicated to the circulation of art and ideas, one statement can take the form of myriad media ranging from paint to stone to video, considering the issue of artistic possession as a cultural phenomenon. This book is the first comprehensive survey of an internationally celebrated artist who continues to make new commissions around the world.
