Lawrence Weiner, Lisson Gallery, London

Lawrence Weiner, widely recognised for his pioneering role in the development of conceptualism in the 1960s, has spent the last five decades deconstructing artistic practices into various concepts of language and idea. In his new show at the Lisson Gallery, Weiner focuses on the concept of truncation, a mathematical term referring to the discarding of unnecessary digits, as an inherent meaning and material reality. Weiner’s works will populate the gallery walls on a grand and small scale, and will include a new piece occupying the entirety of a 12 metre wall.

Weiner is primarily a sculptor working with language. His artistic process sees him work with various sculptural materials, translating the experience into text. The resulting texts are often ambiguous and open to interpretation, leaving space for multiple iterations of the same piece. The manifestations of his work are similarly open-ended and Weiner considers the conveying of information as the core of the work, taking precedence over its physicality. The multitude of forms his works have taken over the years bears testament to this, with previous works sung, painted or engraved on walls, enacted, built, printed or stamped on coins and manhole covers.

The public realm has played an important part throughout Weiner’s career, with his slogans creeping plant-like across the facades of public buildings around the world, translated into numerous languages. This aspect of his practice remains key and is brought into play at Lisson Gallery with a vinyl work printed across the gallery’s front window, THIS AS THAT (BE THAT AS IT MAY) (20 12). Projected inwards and outwards, the work is to be viewed from inside the gallery and from the street simultaneously, with nothing occupying the room itself.

From the seminal Statements of 1968, his first book, to his many iconic urban and public installations, Weiner continues to be internationally recognised as one of the foremost artistic practitioners working in America today. His new exhibition at Lisson Gallery gives audiences in the UK the chance to engage with his poetic and eloquent texts.

Lawrence Weiner, 28 November – 12 January, Lisson Gallery, 52-54 Bell Street, London, NW1 5DA. www.lissongallery.com

Credits:

1. Lawrence Weiner. Outdoor project sponsored by Creative Time: The World & Nearer Ones at Governor’s Island, NYC, 2009. Photo courtesy of Moved Pictures Archive, NYC
2.Lawrence Weiner. Installation view of The Other Side Of Cul-De-Sac exhibition and commission at The Power Plant, Toronto, 2009. Photo courtesy of Moved Pictures Archive, NYC
3. Lawrence Weiner. Untitled, 2005. Courtesy the artist and Lisson Gallery
4. Lawrence Weiner. WITHIN A REALM OF RELATIVE FORM, 2005. Courtesy the artist and Lisson Gallery