Franz West: Early Work

Franz West is widely considered to be one of Europe's most important contemporary artists, and he has reached that position without ever having needed to limit himself to a single medium or mode of expression. Like other artists who came of age in the midst of Conceptualism and Minimalism, his work has ranged widely and blurred the boundaries between art and life. The works showcased here, including autonomous sculpture and interactive pieces, were all made between 1972 and 1988, starting with the furniture with which he expanded our understanding of sculpture--a chair with a seat made of chains still stirs visceral reactions--and the photo-filled and always photogenic collages with which he seemed to join Pop. "Early Work" exemplifies the richness of West's early production, and Eva Badura-Triska's insightful essay traces through it the development of the theories and practices that continue to shape his work today.