DistantNews
Support us
Dan Flavin exhibition at Malba explores fluorescent tubes as art
🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Dan Flavin exhibition at Malba explores fluorescent tubes as art

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • The Malba museum in Buenos Aires is hosting an exhibition on minimalist artist Dan Flavin, focusing on his use of fluorescent tubes.
  • The exhibition explores Flavin's concept of art as an intervention in space, rather than just an object.
  • It features works like "Parejas europeas" and "Leaners," examining how light, color, and space interact.

The Malba museum in Buenos Aires is currently showcasing "Dan Flavin, Light, Color, and Space," an exhibition that delves into the minimalist artist's groundbreaking use of industrial materials, specifically fluorescent light tubes, as art. Adhering to the minimalist ethos of the 1960s, Flavin largely refrained from altering his chosen materials, focusing instead on their inherent qualities and their interaction with the surrounding environment.

Organized by the Dia Art Foundation and curated by Jessica Morgan and Min Sun Jeon, the exhibition presents several key works. These include "corner" pieces, a green "barrier" that demarcates a section of the gallery, and the "European Couples" series (1966-1971). The latter consists of nine commercially available fluorescent tube colors, arranged in square structures with front and backlighting. Another featured series, "Leaners," comprises tubes leaning against corners, with different colors visible on the reverse side.

I am I and my circumstance and if I do not save it I do not save myself

— José Ortega y GassetThis quote from the Spanish philosopher is used to explain how Flavin's work extends beyond the object itself to encompass its environment.

Dan Flavin (1933-1996), born in New York, trained as an aeronautical meteorologist before studying art history. His career included roles such as a security guard at MoMA, where he connected with influential figures in the art world. Flavin began incorporating electric lamps into his work in the early 1960s, eventually transitioning to fluorescent tubes in 1963, which became his signature medium. His work has been exhibited globally, with a previous showing in Argentina at Fundación Proa in 1998.

The exhibition encourages viewers to consider Flavin's work not merely as objects but as spatial interventions. Influenced by philosophers like José Ortega y Gasset and fellow minimalist Carl Andre, Flavin's art transforms the perception of space. Andre's statement, "I do not cut the material, the material cuts the space," reflects how Flavin's installations, like those placed in corners referencing Russian constructivist Vladimir Tatlin, reconfigure the viewer's experience of a room through light and color.

I do not cut the material, the material cuts the space

— Carl AndreThis quote from another minimalist artist illustrates the concept of art altering the perception of the space it occupies, a key aspect of Flavin's work.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog