Lawrence Weiner

For Lawrence Weiner, art should do three things: ask questions, communicate an idea, and be useful for people. 

Taking dynamite to a national park might get you arrested. But for Lawrence Weiner in 1959, it was the beginning of an explosive life in art.

The purpose if you’re doing your work is to fuck up their whole life.

Lawrence believed art should do three things – ask questions, communicate an idea, and be useful. He realised that words could do all of that. So he stopped using dynamite and started using language to create his provocative sculptures.

Bold text on wall reading "Use enough to make it smooth enough" and "Assuming a function"

USE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT SMOOTH ENOUGH ASSUMING A FUNCTION 1999

Lawrence’s words have been seen in galleries across the globe, but he remained resistant to art world elitism. Many of his works are public property, belonging to no one and every one. 

Lawrence died in 2021. Although he is remembered as a pioneer of conceptual art, Lawrence only ever thought of himself as a sculptor – a sculptor with something to say.

The idea of making art is making it accessible to people. They don’t need to know anything about you.

Bold text on wall reading "A wall built to face the land & water" and "At the level of the sea"

A WALL BUILT TO FACE THE LAND & FACE THE WATER, 2008

Bold text on wall reading "Drawn out from a stone" and underneath "Aus einem stein harhaus"

DRAWN OUT FROM A STONE, 2016

Bold text on wall reading "(Away from it all) Here there & everywhere", "(Beneath it all) Here there & everywhere", "(All over it all) Here there & everywhere" and "(Above it all) Here there & everywhere"

HERE THERE & EVERYWHERE, 1989


More in this series

See all

Insightful?

Insightful?

Subscribe to the Avant Arte newsletter for the art world in your inbox.

By continuing, you’re agreeing to our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Discover more insights

See all