„The book came about because of an exhibition of the work at Jack Wendler’s gallery in London. I asked Jack if he would make a book and he said yes. He found a printer and the book was made.“ (Lawrence Weiner)
Lawrence Weiner is one of the pioneers of conceptual art according to which language is the best medium for art. That is why printed matter plays an essential role in his work, from the design of his own catalogues to his proper artist’s books: fifty since 1968.
Lawrence Weiner was one of seven artists included in the well-known publication/exhibition known familiarly as the Xerox Book that was published in New York in 1968 by Seth Siegelaub and John W. (Jack) Wendler. This Xerox Book was one of the auguries of conceptual art. In the same year Siegelaub, with assistance from the Louis Kellner Foundation, published Weiner’s first artist book: STATEMENTS. A few years later, in 1971, Siegelaub’s erstwhile partner Jack Wendler left New York and moved to London. He soon presented his first exhibition, which took the form of a printed card by Lawrence Weiner, and by the beginning of the next year had his own exhibition space. In addition, in 1972, he published Weiner’s ninth artist book: GREEN AS WELL AS BLUE AS WELL AS RED.
As Weiner has said: THE BOOK CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF AN EXHIBITION OF THE WORK AT JACK WENDLER’S GALLERY IN LONDON. I ASKED JACK IF HE WOULD MAKE A BOOK & AND HE SAID YES. HE FOUND A PRINTER & THE BOOK WAS MADE. This simple statement is at one with the kind of book that was published. GREEN AS WELL AS BLUE AS WELL AS RED was, like its eight predecessors, a container for terse verbal information. (It was not until his twelfth book, in 1973, that Weiner introduced photographs into his books.) When asked for two or three lines about the origins of this book, Weiner stated: THERE IS NOTHING TO SAY. A BOOK IS A BOOK FOR ALL THAT. Subsequently he added: THE BOOK IS ABOUT ITS CONTENTS. PERHAPS NOT AT ALL ABOUT THE SHELF IT FINDS ITSELF ON. And finally, given that this is a „little red book“: (PERHAPS IT IS JUST BY CHANCE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF MAO’S BOOKS.) (Source:Zédélé Éditions)
Künstlerbuch | Artists‘ book: Lawrence Weiner. Green As Well As Blue As Well As Red
- Publisher | Zédélé Éditions, Brest 2012
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- Original Edition | Jack Wendler, London, 1972
- Author | Lawrence Weiner
- Language | English
- Softcover | 100 pages, 17 x 12 cm, Weight 136 g
- ISBN | 978-2-915859-37-9, 15€ Zédélé Éditions
NEED-TO-KNOW I | The original edition of 1972 can be visited (on request): Library University of Applied Arts Vienna.
Das Kunstbuch. Verein zur Förderung und Verbreitung von Künstlerbüchern 