The Space Between
- R o b e r t B a r r y
Parra & Romero is pleased to present the first solo exhibition by Robert Barry at the gallery. Titled ‘The Space Between’, the exhibition features a new range of paintings and a video by the artist. Time, space and language 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: the space between objects, between time, 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.
Language is crucial in Barry’s work. He always tries to use language in a different way. The paintings in this show continue this exploration as they consist of words applied to different surfaces. Barry exhibits for the first time multipart paintings presented in series. The way in which the works are displayed is determined by the space itself. The use of wood as a surface represents the rhythms of nature. Each piece is different, taken out in some particular moment in the life of the tree. The words operate against that, two elements playing against each other.
The exhibition includes an Incomplete… For this work, Barry 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 space between the works and the viewer is very important. The mirror diptych shown in the corridor of the gallery emphasizes 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 wallpiece is about light and time. It consists of white vinyl words on white wall. It may appear invisible at first sight, but after a certain length of time, words become visible, revealing itself.
For the artist, the videoLife and Death, 2014 is about time and light and a metaphor for life. It depicts the artists William Anastasi and Dove Bradshaw, husband and wife, playing chess with music by John Cage playing in the background. Meanwhile a text by Barry appears broken up in different parts. It involves, life, death, art, memory and anticipation.
Related to the video,Untitled Performance,1972-present will be interpreted for the first time in English and Spanish during the opening by a man and woman. This performance showcases Barry’s longstanding interest in exploring the temporal dimension of art.
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.