Drawings by Dan Flavin
Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas
October 4, 1997 - May 1998
The Chinati Foundation will present an exhibition of drawings by DAN FLAVIN that will open on the occasion of the museum's Open House celebration on October 4. It will be the first time in over twenty years that this aspect of Dan Flavin's oeuvre will be shown; the work was last exhibited in the US at the St. Louis Museum of Art in 1973 and the Fort Worth Art Museum in 1976. The last European showing was at the Kunstmuseum Basel in 1975. This comprehensive survey contains over one hundred drawings executed between 1962 and 1975. During the mid 70s, Dan Flavin replaced these 'rough sketches' with 'diagrams' which were done after the installation in fluorescent light had been realized. His 'rough sketches,' on the other hand, are a direct reflection of Flavin's thoughts and ideas during the development of a work.
The earliest sketches in this exhibition relate to a series of "Icons," Dan Flavin's earliest works to incorporate electric light. Only eight of these Icons were ever realized ‚ seven of which are currently on view at the Dia Center for the Arts in New York. The drawings show that Dan Flavin explored many additional possibilities, and had already conceived specific arrangements that would later be realized in large scale fluorescent works.
The selection of drawings at Chinati will concentrate on works in relation to architecture. The first indication of a 'fluorescent room' dates back to 1963. From 1966 on, there are designs for installations occupying entire rooms or single works for a wall, corner, corridor, or stairway. The sketches do not so much present finished works, but reflect the thoughts leading up to them. Often occupying very small pieces of paper, these drawings can be regarded as notes, and some are indeed densely surrounded by the artist's notations. They provide insight into Dan Flavin's working process and are an indispensable resource for a thorough understanding of his work.The exhibition will also include one large fluorescent work from 1974: untitled (in memory of my father, D. Nicholas Flavin, 1891-1974).
The exhibition of drawings is related to a significant large scale project Dan Flavin designed for the Chinati Foundation. This work will consist of fluorescent light barriers to be installed in six buildings on the museum's grounds, illuminating their interiors with different constellations and intensities of blue, green, yellow and pink. The initial plans for this project date back to 1981 and once realized, this permanent work will be Dan Flavin's largest. The museum expects to complete the work by the fall of 1999. An illustrated catalogue accompanying the exhibition with a text by Marianne Stockebrand will be published before the show's conclusion.
THE CHINATI FOUNDATION
Marfa, TX 79843
www.chinati.org
