Net Two Folding Rules
1970
Wiley is well-known for his light-hearted and humorous figurative paintings, but as evidenced in this early work, he was also working through ideas of process and structure that were of interest to artists that defined Minimalism. His mock-scientific study regarding "net results" on the central text panel led to the net-like structure of the piece, which in turn resembles a deconstructed painting.
Cotton webbing, wood, and silk
59 15/16 x 59 15/16 in. (152.3 x 152.3 cm)
Gift of Sidney and Anne Gerber
80.66
Provenance: Sidney and Anne Gerber, Seattle, Washington; gifted to the Seattle Art Museum, December 8, 1980