1. Dan Flavin, Untitled. In memory of Urs Graf, 1972 Concept, 1975, Realisation, Installation with pink, yellow, green and blue fluorescent lights in the four corners of the front courtyard of the Kunstmuseum (11 units each) and in the four corners of the arcade (2 units each), © Stephen Flavin / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, Kunstmuseum Basel, gift of the Dia Art Foundation, New York, Photo Credit : Florian Holzherr
Dan Flavin - The physicality of light
While its light reimagined the architecture of the Kunstmuseum Basel, Dan Flavin bring us into a journey, into his life with his hommage, from Brancusi to Judd, from Matisse to Freundlich. With 58 works in total, most of them coming from private and public collection in Europe and America, and the estate of the artist, the show is dedicated to one of the most important minimalist artists of his generation.
Flavin, his person and his art, his inspirations and his hommages
2. Dan Flavin, New York - 1970, Photo Credit : Gianfranco Gorgoni © Maya Gorgoni
Daniel Nicholas Flavin is born on April 1, 1933, in Queens, New York. He was raised in a household blending Irish Catholic and German heritage, thus Flavin's had a rich appreciation for culture and diversity as an America and a migrant.
Flavin's artistic evolution was deeply intertwined with the events and movements of his time. Growing up amidst the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany and the onset of World War II, Flavin's formative years were marked by social upheaval and geopolitical tension.
After completing his schooling at the Roman Catholic high school in Brooklyn, Flavin served in the US Air Force, where he trained as an air weather meteorological technician. Despite the demands of military service, Flavin remained steadfast in his passion for art, dedicating his free time to drawing, visiting museums, and collecting art.
In the 1950s, Flavin's artistic journey gained momentum as he immersed himself in the vibrant New York art scene. He briefly studied at Columbia University, where he attended lectures by esteemed art historian Meyer Schapiro. His experiences working at renowned institutions such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art provided invaluable exposure to contemporary art practices and introduced him to fellow artists, including Sol LeWitt and Robert Ryman.
He starts his art practice by making drawings and collages, although Flavin's artistic breakthrough came in 1961 with his first solo exhibition at the Judson Gallery in New York. It was during this period that Flavin began to explore the potential of light as an artistic medium. Inspired by one of his do It yourself with his wife, Sonja, who they build and paint wooden boxes onto which they mount electric lights that are then hung on the wall, Flavin been experimenting with the use of light.
Central to Flavin's artistic practice was his pioneering use of commercially available fluorescent light tubes. Eschewing traditional artistic materials, Flavin embraced the industrial aesthetic of fluorescent lighting, harnessing its luminous qualities to create immersive spatial environments. His iconic piece, "the diagonal of May 25, 1963 (to Constantin Brancusi)," marked a turning point in his career, heralding his exclusive use of fluorescent tubes in his installations.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Flavin continued to push the boundaries of artistic expression, expanding his practice and exhibiting internationally. His collaborations with institutions like the Dia Art Foundation and participation in landmark exhibitions such as Documenta 4 showcased his innovative approach to light and space.
Despite facing personal challenges, including health issues stemming from diabetes, Flavin remained dedicated to his artistic vision until his passing on November 29, 1996. His legacy endures through his pioneering use of light as a medium, inspiring generations of artists to explore the interplay between perception, space, and form.
Flavin's relation to Basel
3. Dan Flavin, Untitled (possible use for the Kunstmuseum Basel), 1972, Ballpoint ink on loose-leaf notebook page, 12,7 x 7,6 cm, © Stephen Flavin / 2024 ProLitteris, Zurich, The Dan Flavin Estate, Courtesy David Zwirner, Graham S. Haber (Morgan Library)
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Carlo Huber, the director of Kunsthalle Basel, and Franz Meyer, director of the Kunstmuseum Basel, a dual exhibition showcasing the artist's work opened in 1975 across both institutions in Basel.
Huber, an avid admirer of Flavin's handling of light, presented "Five Installations in Fluorescent Light," describing them as representative of an oeuvre marked by deeply personal expression and significant authority.
Meanwhile, Meyer collaborated with the artist to curate a collection of approximately 277 works on paper, including drawings, etchings, technical plans, and pieces by the Swiss Renaissance artist Urs Graf, whom Flavin developed a special affinity for during his time in Basel.
After the exhibition, and since 1975, Flavin's site-specific work, "untitled (in memory of Urs Graf)" has adorned the interior courtyard of the Kunstmuseum Basel, casting shades of pink, yellow, green, and blue light onto the inner courtyard.
Initially, there was contention among the museum's trustees regarding its permanence, with some advocating for its removal. Ultimately, the Dia Art Foundation's decided to gift the piece to the Kunstmuseum to solidify its place, though even then, some preferred to keep it inactive.
The rundown of the exhibition
4. (Right) Dan Flavin, Monument 4 for those who have been killed in ambush (to P.K. who reminded me about death), 1966, red fluorescent light, 20 x 244 x 183 cm, © Stephen Flavin / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, The Dan Flavin Estate, Courtesy David Zwirner, Florian Holzherr
5. (Left) Dan Flavin, a primary picture, 1964, red, yellow and bleu fluorescent light, 61 x 122 x 10 cm, © Stephen Flavin / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich, The Dan Flavin Estate, Courtesy of David Zwirner, Florian Holzherr
Flavin revolutionized art by creating pieces made of light, liberating color from traditional painting and situating it within three-dimensional space. Using commercially available light fixtures, he challenged conventional notions of authorship and artistic processes, sparking intrigue and controversy among his contemporaries.
His early exhibitions in New York captivated audiences with their purity, the allure of what he termed "gaseous images," and the tangible presence of glowing light.
Thus, the exhibition showcases Flavin's fluorescent tube works, evoking industrial environments like factory halls and parking lots, while highlighting the limited color palette inherent in the technology.
Over his career, simple geometric arrangements evolved into complex architectural installations and multipart series, which Flavin described not as sculptures or paintings but as "situations." His insistence on the factual nature of his art underscored his commitment to working with a single industrially manufactured object.
In his writings and other statements, he moreover emphasized the factual quality of his art. In the catalogue accompanying his first major work for an institution, installed at the Van Abbemuseum in 1966, he wrote:
“Electric light is just another instrument. I have no desire to contrive fantasies mediumistically or sociologically over it or beyond it. (...) I do whatever I can whenever I can with whatever I have wherever I am.”
Despite Flavin's assertion that his art aimed for no profound psychological or spiritual impact, critics have noted connections to Christian and metaphysical motifs. Flavin's habitual dedication of works to individuals or events adds a sentimental dimension, anchoring his impersonal works in specific social and aesthetic contexts. These dedications range from artist friends to political statements, reflecting Flavin's personal and artistic relationships.
In addition to installations, the exhibition features Flavin's drawings, including portraits and nature depictions, as well as sketches and diagrams. His notebooks serve as a vital archival resource, offering insights into his creative process spanning over three decades. Moreover, the exhibition contextualizes Flavin's early works within their social and historical milieu, offering a comprehensive exploration of his seminal contributions to art.
Informations about the exhibition
Place: Kunstmuseum Basel
Date: 2.3.2024 - 18.8.2024
Curator: Josef Helfenstein, Olga Osadtschy and Elena Degen
Ticket: Available on the website of the Kunstmuseum Basel OR at the front desk of the museum
Informations about the Kunstmuseum Basel
Kunstmuseum Basel
St. Alban-Graben 8
CH-4010 Basel
Phone: +41 61 206 62 62
Fax: +41 61 206 62 52
Mail: info@kunstmuseumbasel.ch
© Lucas GASGAR / Lucas Art Talks 2024