4 Blocks and Stones
1973
In the opion of critic and poet Peter Schjeldahl, Andre has fine sculptural gifts that transcend his "draconian discipline of style" with its "endlessly repeating formats." Schjeldahl identifies "... a sense of the poetry of materials and an acute feeling for scale." Indeed, there is a blunt lyrical quality to Andre's simple juxtaposition of eight elements, four primoridal, four industrially manufactured. This piece is from a series entitled 144 Blocks and Stones, which was installed in 1973 at the Portland Center for the Visual Arts. The stones were collected by the artist in Oregon.
Concrete blocks, river stones, geological specimens
Each block: 11 1/2 x 11 3/4 x 2 5/16 in. (29.2 x 29.8 x 5.9cm)
Width of stones: 8 1/8, 7, 2, 1 3/4 in.
Gift of Dr. R. Joseph Monsen and Dr. Elaine R. Monsen
84.181
Provenance: The artist; {possibly purchased directly from Portland Center for the Visual Arts by Drs. Joseph (1931-2019) and Elaine Monsen (1935-2014), Seattle, Washington, 1973}; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 1984
