Object Lessons: Case Studies in Minimal Art--The Guggenheim Panza Collection Initiative

Object Lessons is a book that explores the Guggenheim Museums collection of Minimal art from the visionary Italian collectors Giovanna and Giuseppe Panza di Biumo. It focuses on four works by key figures of 1960s Minimalism and Conceptual art, providing an exhaustive chronological account, overview, conservation narrative, and decommission section. The book is copiously illustrated with photographs, exhibitions, and related drawings and proposals, and includes extensive excerpts of new interviews with artists and fabricators, key historical documents, and previously unpublished correspondence.

Format: Hardback
Length: 324 pages
Publication date: 06 July 2021
Publisher: Guggenheim Museum Publications,U.S.

The Guggenheim Museums extensive collection of Minimal art, amassed by visionary Italian collectors Giovanna and Giuseppe Panza di Biumo, has been the subject of a captivating exploration in the book Object Lessons. Winner of the prestigious 2022 Robert Motherwell Book Award, this comprehensive work is the result of the Panza Collection Initiative, an ambitious 10-year research project. Object Lessons delves into four pivotal works by prominent figures of 1960s Minimalism and Conceptual art: Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Robert Morris, and Lawrence Weiner. Authored by Francesca Esmay, Ted Mann, and Jeffrey Weiss, the book offers a multi-faceted perspective on each artwork. An exhaustive chronological account provides a detailed account of the works realization, acquisition, ownership, and display, unveiling the intricate history behind their creation. An overview explores the broad practical and conceptual implications of this information, shedding light on the historical identity of the works and their impact on their future. A conservation narrative establishes the role of fabricators and the material and technical standards for the production of these radical objects. Together, the authors explore how a previously unacknowledged history of production, ownership, and display has profoundly shaped the life and legacy of Minimal art. A separate section, contributed by Martha Buskirk and Virginia Rutledge, examines the concept of decommission, a new category of collection classification for works that are contested or compromised and are therefore no longer viable for display. Throughout, the book is lavishly illustrated with photographs of the works, exhibition installations, related drawings, and proposals. Rounding out this volume are extensive excerpts of new interviews with artists and fabricators, key historical documents, and previously unpublished correspondence. Object Lessons is a testament to the profound influence of Minimal art on contemporary art and culture.

Weight: 1394g
Dimension: 209 x 277 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780892075560