Whether it’s a sculpture, a painting or a drawing, Sol LeWitt’s work is almost always instantly recognizable for its rigorous lines, modular perspective and strict geometric shapes. No surprises really, given that one of the first jobs he had was as a graphic designer in IM Pei’s office.
During his lifetime, LeWitt was extraordinarily prolific, producing thousands of prints, wall drawings and paintings. Many made their way into his books, each of which dealt with a particular discipline - arcs and lines in one, grids in another, and geometric figures in yet another.
’Sol LeWitt: Artist’s Books’ is a touring exhibition of over 80 of LeWitt’s books, dating from 1967 to 2002, a few years before his death. Individually, each book is already an important record and reference source; but taken collectively, they form an indispensable snapshot of an incredibly restless mind.
Says exhibition co-curator, Giorgio Maffei: ’For an artist, the book is sometimes a secondary medium - a sort of preparatory exercise to explore more complex and challenging ideas, or simply a means to reflect on work in progress. For Sol LeWitt, the book is much more than this. It is the key to understanding his entire development; each successive book marks a phase in his artistic life, explaining the methods and meanings of his art.’
To complement the exhibition, experimental pianist Philip Thomas has curated a programme of specially commissioned pieces by musicians like Peter Ablinger and John White.
Following stop-overs in Bologna, Istanbul and Paris, the exhibition is in Sheffield from 8th to 29th May, after which it heads to Ljubljana.
A selection of Sol LeWitt’s artist’s books. Photography by David Bellingham
