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Influential conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner is known for his language-based sculpture and works pursuing inquiries into language and a radical redefinition of the artist/viewer relationship. Considering language to be a sculptural material and believing that a construction in language can function as sculpture as adequately as a fabricated object, Weiner's works operate beyond the specificity and constraints of traditional presentation, inspiring artists like Barbara Kruger and Felix Gonzalez-Torres.

Lawrence Weiner was born in New York in 1942 and passed away in New York in 2021. He was the subject of solo museum exhibitions at Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2013), MACBA, Barcelona (2013), The Jewish Museum, New York (2012), Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2007). His work has been collected by prestigious public and private collections worldwide.

The only art I’m interested in is the art I don’t understand right away. If you understand it right away it really has no use except as nostalgia.

Lawrence Weiner

Biography

Education

  • 1957

    New York City Public School System, New York, NY, USA

Awards

  • 2017

    Wolf Prize, Jerusalem, Israel

    Aspen Award for Art honoree, Aspen, CO, USA

  • 2015

    Roswitha Haftmann Prize, Zurich, Switzerland

  • 1995

    Wolfgang Hahn Prize, Ludwig Museum, Cologne

  • 1994

    John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, New York, NY, USA

  • 1988

    Singer Prize, Singer Museum, Laren, The Netherlands

Recent Solo Exhibitions

  • 2023

    Amorepacific Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea

    Galerie Marian Goodman, Paris, France

  • 2022

    Qatar Museum, Doha, Qatar

    Museo Novecento, Florence, Italy

    Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Art Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Albertina Modern, Vienn, Austria

    Mai 36, Zürich, Switzerland

    Marian Goodman Gallery, New York

    Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation, Venice, Italy

  • 2021

    Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, Ireland

    Galerie Thomas Schulte, Berlin, Germany

    Holstebro Kunstmuseum, Denmark

  • 2020

    All The Stars In The Sky Have The Same Face, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY, USA

    Tracce / Traces, MACRO, Rome, Italy

    On View, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    South Of The Border, Fundación Casa Wabi, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico

  • 2019

    Long Ago Far Away, OSL Contemporary, Oslo, Norway

    KODE, Bergen, Norway

    Attached By Ebb & Flow, Museo Nivola, Orani, Italy

    Often Adequate Enough, Taro Nasu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

    Just In Time, Galerie Hubert Winter, Vienna, Austria

  • 2018

    Alfonso Artiaco, Naples, Italy

    Galerie Marian Goodman, Paris, France

    In Tandem With The Sands, Dvir Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Water & Some Of Its Forms, Taro Nasu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2017

    Forever & A Day (Siempre Y Un Dia), Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico, Zocalo, Nezah Ualcoyotl; Museo Tamayo, Marquesina Cervantes Sa Avedra, Mexico City, Mexico

    Inherent Innate Tension, Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Out Of Sight, Pérez Art Museum, Miami, FL, USA

    Inherent, Innate Tension, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA

  • 2016

    Used As Other Than Itself, Galleria Alfonso Artiaco, Naples, Italy

    Of Its Own Full Circle, Austrian Frederick and Lilian Kiesler Private Foundation, Vienna, Austria

    Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz, Austria

    Made to Be, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Whisked Away From, OSL Contemporary Gallery, Oslo, Norway

    Made Done With a Pinch of Salt, Galerie Hubert Winter, Vienna, Austria

    Cadmium & Mud & Titanium & Ferrous Oxide & So On…, Dia:Beacon, NY, USA

    After Any Given Time, Tichy Ocean Foundation, Prague, Czech Republic

  • 2015

    Within a Realm of Distance, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UK

    Galleri Susanne Ottesen (with Per Kirkeby), Copenhagen, Denmark

    Within Grasp, Mai 36 Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland

    Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Boston & MIT List Center, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Becalmed Within the Embrace of a Whirlwind, Galería Horrach Moya, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

  • 2014

    Along the Shore, i8 Gallery, Reykjavic, Iceland

    Some Moved Pictures of Lawrence Weiner, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, UK

    All in Due Course, South London Gallery, London, UK

    Straight Down to Below: Lawrence Weiner, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington, UK

    Written on the Wind: Drawings by Lawrence Weiner, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Somewhere, Mendes Wood DM and Galeria Luisa Strina, São Paulo, Brazil

    Bury Sculpture Center, Bury Art Museum, Lancashire, UK

    Crisscrossed, Cristina Guerra, Lisbon, Portugal

  • 2013

    The Grace of A Gesture, Palazzo Bembo, collateral event of the 55th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy

    Forever and a Day, Art Aids Foundation, Barcelona, Spain

    Written on the Wind, Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Works 1969–73, Villa e Collezione Panza, Varese, Italy

    Finding a Place to Put What, Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

  • 2012

    Be that as it may, Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Galleria Giorgio Persano, Turin, Italy

    Galerie Hubert Winter, Vienna, Austria

    Concentricity per se, Blain Southern, Berlin, Germany

    Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA

  • 2011

    A Syntax of Dependency, Museum of Contemporary Art, Antwerp, Belgium

    Altered to Suit, Electronic Arts Intermix, New York, NY, USA

    Us Them It, 10 Downing Street, New York, NY, USA

    Specific Object Presents Lawrence Weiner’s Published Work from the JeanNoel Herlin Archive, Susan Inglett Gallery, New York, NY, USA

  • 2010

    As to Be in Plain Sight, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO, USA

    Works, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

    House of Art, Budweis, Czech Republic

    i8 Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art, Lisbon, Portugal

    Dicht Bij, Basis voor Aktuelle Kunst, Utrecht, Netherlands

  • 2009

    Cul de Sac, The Power Plant, Toronto, Canada

    A Bit of Matter and a Little Bit More, Argos Centre for Art and Media, Brussels, Belgium

    Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

    At the Level of the Sea, Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Placed on the Tip of a Wave, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    One in Front (Sea) Two if in Back (Land), Newlyn Art Gallery, Penzance, Cornwall, UK

    Galerie Hubert Winter, Vienna, Austria

    Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, Belgium

  • 2008

    To Allow the Light, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China

    Offsides, Lisson Gallery, London, UK

  • 2007

    As Far as the Eye Can See, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, USA

    Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany

    Para Site, Hong Kong, China

    The Die Is Cast, Galerie Cristina Guerra, Lisbon, Portugal

  • 2006

    Inherent in the Rhum Line, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, UK

    Nicht Weit Vom Stamm, Konrad Fischer Galerie, Berlin, Germany

    Printed Works, Van Abbe Museum, Eindhoven, Netherlands

    Lo and Behold (Mira y ve), The Wolfsonian, Miami Beach, FL, USA

  • 2005

    Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg, Austria

    Within a Realm of Relative Form, Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Posters, Bury Art Museum, Lancashire, UK

    Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    i8, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Knokke Beach Drawings, Patrick De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

  • 2004

    Covered by Clouds, Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico City, Mexico

    With All Due Intent (com toda a intencao), Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art, Lisbon, Portugal

  • 2003

    Moved pictures and Safn Introduce Recent Cartoons of Lawrence Weiner, Safn Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Setting the Stage, Galleri Sussanne Ottesen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Artist Books, Galerie rose Marie, Malmö, Sweden

    Statements, L’Ancien College des Jesuites, Reims, France

    Le Destin la Destinee, Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

    Primary Secondary Tertiary, Forum Kunst & Architekture, Essen, Germany

    The Wrong Gallery, New York, NY, USA

  • 2002

    Parfois l’horizon c’est plus comme un verbe pas encore comme un nom, Emmetrop & Transpalette, Bourges, France

    Any Given Time, Stadt Stommeln Synagogue, Stommeln, Germany

    All This Time on This Place, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Galerie Roger Pailhas, Marseille, France

    Just One Time, Klosterfelde, Berlin, Germany

    Until It Is, Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH, USA

    In one end and out the other, Gandy Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic

    University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria

    Die Tiroler Landesmuseum, Innsbruck, Austria

    Towards the End of the Beginning, Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art, Lisbon, Portugal

    Wave after Wave, Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Preparations for the Opera, Konrad Fischer Galerie, Dusseldorf, Germany

    There are those things that move outside of motion, De Verbeelding, Zeewolde, The Netherlands

    Ignoti Nulla Cupido, Alfonso Artiaco, Naples, Italy

  • 2001

    A Basic Assumption, Birmigham Museum of Art, Birmigham, AL, USA

    For Better or for Worse, Galerie Erna Hecey, Luxembourg

    Brigitte March Galerie, Stuttgart, Germany

    Wordscapes, Galeria Andre Viana, Porto, Portugal

    Por Si Mismo, Palacio de Cristal, Madrid, Spain

    For Any Given Time, Galleria Gianluca Collica, Italy

Public Collections

  • Australia

    National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

  • Austria

    Museum Moderner Kunst, Vienna

    Wiener Festwochen, Vienna

    University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt

  • Belgium

    Anton and Annick Herbert Collection, Ghent

    SMAK - Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent

    Middelheim Openluchtmuseum, Antwerp

  • Canada

    Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

    Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax

    Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver

    Ydessa Hendeles Foundation, Toronto

  • Denmark

    City of Ballerup

    City of Hostebro

    Gentofte Kommunes Kunstbibliotek, Hellerup

    Stadtisches Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

    Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

  • France

    Castell Zuoz, Switzerland Centre Pompidou, Paris

    City of Chagny, France

    City of Paris, les Tuilleries

    City of Villeurbanne, Place Mendez-France

    FRAC Nord Pas de Calais, Dunkirk

    FRAC Bourgogne, Dijon

    FRAC Rhone-Alpes, Lyon

    Musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux, Bordeaux

    Musée de Toulon, Toulon

    Musée Saint Pierre, Art Contemporain, Lyon

  • Germany

    City of Cologne/Museum Ludwig, Cologne

    Deitchtorhallen, Hamburg

    Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt am Main

    Egidio Marzona Collection, Bielefeld

    Hamburg Harbor

    Krefelder Kunst Museen, Haus Esters

    Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Winterthur

    Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg

    Kunstverein Museum Schloss Morsbroich, Leverkusen

    Mainburg Railway Station, Mainburg

    Museum fur Modern Kunst, Frankfurt am Main

    Salzhaus Sindelfingen, Sindelfingen

    Sprengel Museum, Hanover

    Stadtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich

    Venloer Strasse 21, Cologne

  • Iceland

    University of Akureyri, Akureyri

  • Ireland

    Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin

  • Italy

    City of Gennazzno

    Villa di Versegnis

    Panza di Biumo Collection, Varese

    Rieper AG (factory building), Vintl, Bozen

  • Israel

    Israel Museum, Jerusalem

  • Slovenia

    Moderna Galerija Ljubjana, Ljubjana

  • Spain

    City of Barcelona, Place Mistral

    Guggenheim Bilbao, Bilbao

  • Switzerland

    Artcake, Switzerland

    City of Biele, Tabula Rasa

    Cosmorex Collection, Schaffhausen

    Hotel Furkablick, Furka

    Kunsthof Zürich, Zurich

    Musée de Beaux-Arts, La Chaux-de-Fonds

    World Wildlife Fund, Zurich

    World Trade Center, Zurich

  • The Netherlands

    Boymans-van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam

    City of Eindhoven, De Rode Loper

    De Vleeshaal, Middelburg, Netherlands

    Federal Courthouse Sint Annadal, Maastricht

    Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague

    Haags Hogeschool, The Hague

    Kroller-Moller Museum, Otterlo

    Marin Visser Collection, Rotterdam

    Spui, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam

    Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

    Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven

  • UK

    British Museum, London

    Henry Moore Foundation, Leeds

  • US

    Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

    Carnegie Institute of Fine Art, Pittsburgh, PA

    Chase Manhattan Bank Collection, New York, NY

    Dannheiser Foundation, New York, NY

    Dia Beacon, Beacon, NY

    488 Greenwich Avenue, New York, NY

    Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA

    Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

    New York Public Library, New York, NY

    Poets Walk, Citicorp Plaza, Los Angeles, CA

    Public Art Fund/Con Edison, New York, NY

    Sol LeWitt Collection, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT

    Solomon R. Guggenheim Musuem, New York, NY

    Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

    Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY

Selected images