Reflections

R o b e r t B a r r y

Ibiza 0 3 . 0 5 . 1 6 – 0 8 . 1 0 . 1 6

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@parraromero i n f o @ p a r r a - r o m e r o . c o m

P a r r a & R o m e r o © 2 0 2 6 A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D

Parra & Romero is pleased to present its second solo show by Robert Barry and the first at its space in Ibiza. Titled Reflections the show features a new range of works and an historical immaterial piece by the artist. Time, space, language and perception are the key concepts that assemble the show.

Robert Barry (New York, 1936) is one of the pioneers of Conceptualism and Minimalism. His work has always been focused on space: between objects, between time, between places (metaphysical and real), between artist and viewer. To him, the “idea” of an artwork is as important as the art object. Words are essential elements in Barry’s oeuvre. They evoke mental states in flux or contemplation and declare to the viewer a temporal and psychic intangibility. «I use words because they speak out to the viewer. Words come from us. We can relate to them. They bridge the gap between the viewer and the piece. »

Language is crucial in Barry’s work. He always tries to use language in a different way. The works in this show continue this exploration as they consist of words applied to different surfaces. Choosing the words for each piece comes intuitively: he works from a list of words that he compiled over the years. Many have been used over and over in various situations. Their meaning comes from the way they are used and where and how they are positioned.

Language and space is the theme of the four panel paintings presented. Arranged in square, this work establishes a grid, a macro image of the squares that form its four points. The distance between the four canvases extends from the wall to the architecture of the gallery itself. This articulation invokes time as circuitous and instigates an awareness of the body of the beholder.

In all the works by the artist, the space between the works and the viewer is very important. The mirrors featured at the show emphasize this idea; the viewer becomes a participant, not just in a physical or formal way, but also in a more intellectual and personal way.

The Incomplete… is a constant at Barry’s shows. For this work, the artist has chosen a firm and strong font that holds the surface in a seemingly complete way. However, the subject matter and the ellipsis (“…”) leave room for more. What that “more” is, is open for discussion. The big mural is about light and time. It consists of silver vinyl words on white wall. It may appear invisible depending on the light, but after a certain length of time, words become visible. The floor piece, made also of silver words, plays also with reflection, language and perception.

Finally the show includes an immaterial work. The piece titled Variations 6 (1978) consist on a list of words read every thirty seconds. With the utterance of the first word, the audience enters a space of anticipation- waiting for what comes next. As the following word is spoken, it fills the space and then recess into silence. The isolation of one word accentuates its spoken physicality and, at the same time, its temporal nature. As the performer continues speaking the viewer brings his or her own associations to the words, linking each to the next, creating a highly personal encounter.

Robert Barry received his BFA and MA from Hunter College, where he also taught from 1964 to 1979. Since his first solo exhibition in 1964, Barry’s work has been exhibited extensively throughout the US and internationally. His artwork is included in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Chicago Art Institute, Chicago; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Musée d’Orsay, Paris; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. and Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, among others.