Interested in how objects attain cultural value, mccollums surrogate paintings are uniquely produced yet intended to seem manufactured, questioning both the process of labor and the value. Since the late 1960s, artist and sculptor allan mccollum has created works that examine the art objects relationship to uniqueness, context, and value, and explores the idea of the collection to reveal how we remember, care for, and privilege various material artifacts. Allan mccollum the book of shapes 2010 available for. Oral history interview with allan mccollum, 2010 february 23. In 1975, his work was included in the whitney biennial, and he moved to new york city that same year. Conversation between allan mccollum and roxy paine, roxy painebluff, public art fund, new york city. Not generated, but rather ingeniously formulated using adobe illustrator, each shape is created by a series of consecutive.
Shapes from maine allan mccollum exhibitions petzel. Mas the new yorker goings on about town allan mccollum note. Working in 20052006, the american artist allan mccollum designed the shapes project. Allan mccollum s the book of shapes is the book from the work shapes project, the initiated by the artist in 2005. Lives and works in new york, usa allan mccollum is one of the most original and influential postconceptual american artists alive today. In his 2006 shapes project, he designed a system to produce and keep track of unique graphic emblems for every person on earth. In the late 1960s, he began to educate himself as an artist. Collection of twentyfour perfect couples 20052012 acrylic with varnish on wood in twentyfour parts. In the late 1970s he became especially well known for his series, surrogate paintings.
From the outset, the gallery was committed to showing the work of innovative young artists. The exhibition, shown in cooperation with friedrich petzel gallery and curated by piper marshall, features three bodies of work by mccollum. From his first surrogate paintings 197882 to his individual works 198789 or recent shapes project since 2005, through his famous series of plaster surrogates begun in 1982, perpetual photos since 1981 and perfect vehicles since 1986. Opening friday january 16, 6pm 8pm friedrich petzel gallery is pleased to announce shapes from maine, a new exhibition by allan mccollum. Since 1995, allan mccollum has designed a sequence of projects involving various regions of the world, exploring ways in which people construct and identify themselves and their communities with emblems. Buy allan mccollum the book of shapes fineartmultiple. Each shape is destined to be assigned to a single individual. In order to do so, mccollum drew a base of 6 groups of. Perfect couples, barbara krakow gallery, boston, massachusetts. His work is repeatedly characterised by his use of massproduction to create a vast quantity of unique objects. About the book of shapes by allan mccollum allan mccollum s the book of shapes is the book from the work the shapes project, initiated by the artist in 2005. In order to do so, mccollum drew a base of 6 groups of elements. Today, in addition to artists longassociated with the gallery ross bleckner, francesco clemente, barbara kruger, barry le va, keith sonnier the.
Sitting atop plinths, the standard mode for the display of sculpture, the groupings ranged from five to fifty generic castplaster vases. View and buy the book of shapes by allan mccollum on fineartmultiple, the leading online gallery for contemporary art. This book completestheshapesproject,a project initiated by mccollum in 2005. His work is in over seventy museum collections, including the national gallery of art, washington. The book of shapes exhibition is based on the eponym publication by the artist allan mccollum, produced in 2010 by mfcmichele didier. Allan mccollum the book of shapes for sale artspace. He has produced numerous public art projects in the united states and europe. Perfect couples to petzel gallery in nyc, the latest iteration of his ongoing mathematically inspired series. To create the shapes project, allan mccollum designed a system to create over 31 billion unique twodimensional shapes. This series was begun in 1989 and constitutes around five thousands of drawings of black abstract shapes on a white background. Rubber molds are produced from the collection of shapes. About the book of shapes by allan mccollum allan mccollum s the book of shapes is the. Today, in addition to artists longassociated with the gallery ross bleckner, francesco clemente, barbara kruger, barry le va.
Well, ever since i started the shapes project in 2005, ive been working with home craft people. Watch full episodes online for free via pbs video or hulu, as a paid download via itunes link opens application, or as part of a netflix streaming subscription. Allan mccollum is a contemporary american artist, whose work often blurs the boundary between unique artifacts and mass production. Guggenheim museum, new york city perpetual photo no. Licensing if you would like to reproduce an image of a work of art in momas collection, or an image of a moma publication or archival material including installation views, checklists, and press releases, please contact art resource publication in north america or scala archives publication in.
The show brings together thousands of maple hardwood ornaments, rubber stamps, and, of interest to us, copper cookie cutters. Sep 27, 20 allan mccollum and andrea zittels collaboration, their second at petzel, continues the formers practice of consistently approaching art production, display and study with the critical eye of one situated outside the art worldpersistently questioning the motives, conventions and expectations surrounding the art object. Shapes project called perfect couples which is an attempt to create pairs of his shapes that could suggest unique human relationships. Allan mccollum the shapes project 2006 not on view mccollum explores duplication in his art, investigating how objects achieve personal and social significance in a. Since the late 1970s, allan mccollum born 1944 has addressed the anthropology of art.
A collection of around fifty images of tiny human figures used for model train layouts, photographed unaltered through a microscope. He is an actor, known for the runaway 1972, brandy in the wilderness 1969 and art in the twentyfirst century 2001. In his sculptures, drawings, and photographs, allan mccollum applies the strategies of typologies and mass production to handmade objects, creating vast installations of smallscale works. The first gallery was a small ground floor space at the renowned soho address 420 west broadway. The following oral history transcript is the result of a recorded interview with allan mccollum on february 23, 2010. From his first surrogate paintings 197882 to his individual works 198789 or recent shapes projectsince 2005, through his famous series of plaster surrogates begun in 1982, perpetual photos since 1981 and perfect vehicles since 1986, mccollum has revealed arts mechanisms as a statusgenerating economy. This art work provides a system for producing shapes, each different, and each destined to be assigned to a single individual. Allan mccollum the book of shapes about the book of shapes by allan mccollum allan mccollums the book of shapes is the book from the work shapes project, the initiated by the artist in 2005. The shape of the vase was that of an antique chinese ginger jar, a shape made ubiquitous by centuries of its reproduction.
In his twenties, mccollum briefly considered a career in theater and then attended trade school to study restaurant management and industrial kitchen work. The artist created a system for producing over 31 billion different shapes. Currently on display at the friedrich petzel gallery in new york city is shapes from maine, an exhibition by allan mccollum. Allan mccollum artists usf graphicstudio institute. Mccollums installationsfields of vast numbers of smallscale works, systematically arrangedare the product of many tiny gestures, built up over time. In 2005, mccollum designed the shapes project, a combinatorial system to produce a completely unique shape for every person on the planet, without repeating. Each panel is signed, identification numbered and dated on reverse panel size. Allan mccollum first made his perfect vehicles in 1985. Artist allan mccollum to bring the shapes project to new. I worked with a couple that made cookie cutters in maine, another couple that makes christmas tree ornaments, a person that does cutouts of silhouettes, and someone who did rubber stamps.
The book of shapes by allan mccollum allan mccollums the book of shapes is the. Artists in depth page for allan mccollum metropolitan museum of art, new york city new. Collection of sixty perfect couples 20052012 acrylic with varnish on wood in sixty parts. Collection of twelve perfect couples 20052014 acrylic with varnish on new england rock maple with cradled basswood panels each panel size. Allan mccollum the book of shapes mfc michele didier. As the title indicates, the book of shapes has a specific interest for shapes. For the millionsjust for you one hundred and eight unique shapes out of over thirtyone billion the new york times asked the artist allan mccollum.
Allan mccollum author of where i lived, and what i lived for. In 1975, his work was included in the whitney biennial, and he moved to new york city the same year. This thick, organic sculpture is part of the shapes project, a remarkable undertaking by artist allan mccollum, for which he aims to produce a unique shape for each individual on earth. Mar 04, 2011 allan mccollum is featured in the season 5 2009 episode systems of the art in the twentyfirst century television series on pbs. Allan mccollum plaster surrogates 19831985 artsy art. It also allows the shapes to be kept track of in such a way as to ensure that no two will ever be alike. Since the late 1970s, allan mccollum born 1944 has addressed the anthropo.
These halves are numbered and organized onto standard trays. In 2010, he published the book of shapes, in collaboration with mfc michele didier. Whether comprised of sculptures, drawings, or photographs, each of his works. Allan mccollums the book of shapes is the book from the work the shapes project initiated by the artist in 2005. The replicas of these shapes can be cast in large quantities, thus creating a vocabulary of forms that can be combined to produce new shapes. In her essay, allan mccollums unstretched canvases at the beginning of the. The drawings series was the first step in the process that led to allan mccollum s titanic work entitled the shapes project. From his first surrogate paintings 197882 to his individual works 198789 or recent shapes projectsince 2005, through his famous series of plaster surrogates. Allan mccollum, over ten thousand individual works, 19871991. Allan mccollums oneofakind shapes in for the millions. Allan mccollum, studio talk by allan mccollum, inside the studio. Exhibition the book of shapes allan mccollum archive.
The shapes project is a largescale project by allan mccollum that seeks to produce unique twodimensional shapes, one for every person on the planet when the world population peaks in the middle of the twentyfirst century. In the late seventies he became especially well known for his surrogate paintings, with which he examines what it. By visiting our website or transacting with us, you agree to this. Alan mccollum, the book of shapes this book completes the shapes project, a project initiated by mccollum in the artist created a system for producing over 31 billion different shapes, made from the combination of six groups of typeelements allan mccollum the shapes see more. Allan mccollum born august 4, 1944, american artist. This september, conceptual artist allan mccollum brings the shapes project. Working in 20052006, the american artist allan mccollum designed the shapes project, a combinatorial system to produce unique twodimensional shapes. During the late 1970s, mccollum began to develop his central thesis. The idiosyncratic work of allan mccollum frequently uses the skill of craftsmen in his humorinfused art practice. This book completes the shapes project, a project initiated by mccollum in 2005.
Contrary to some errors made in certain press articles, mccollum s shapes are not generated in a computer with an invented or scripted program. This past art21 educators summer institute, which was recently held from july 210 here in nyc, just flew. The shapes project allan mccollum introduction to the shapes project allan mccollum introduction to the shapes project downloadable pdf petzel gallery press release downloadable pdf shapes installation some possibilities, and a few photos shapes installation galerie thomas schulte, berlin, germany, september 2006. Interested in how objects attain cultural value, mccollums surrogate paintings are uniquely produced yet intended to seem manufactured, questioning both the process of labor and the value of authorship. Allan mccollum collection of ten plaster surrogates 19821992 enamel on cast hydrostone 20 x 145 inches. Allan mccollum museums and public art galleries worldwide. The shapes project by roberta smith aqurela the shapes project. Aug 21, 2015 from galerie isabella czarnowska, allan mccollum, plaster surrogates 19831985, enamel on hydrostone, in abstract painters abstract art group art dictionary art art pages installation art creative design wall art prints cool designs.
In the late seventies he became especially well known for his series, surrogate paintings. Two decades of talks with artists in new york, judith olch richards, editor. The artist created a system for producing over 31 billion different shapes, made from the combination of six groups of typeelements. To find out more, including which thirdparty cookies we place and how to manage cookies, see our privacy policy. Allan mccollum in collaboration with laurie simmons. Volume i contains all the patterns, while volume ii includes the guides for creating all possible combinations. The installation, the shapes project, is comprised of over 6,000 unique buttons, designed by allan mccollum, and fabricated by delia paine. The book of shapes by allan mccollum allan mccollums the book of shapes is the book from the work the shapes project initiated by the artist in 2005. This art work provides a system for producing shapes, each different, and each destined to.
Allan mccollum is a contemporary american artist whose work often blurs the boundary between unique artifacts and mass production. Applying strategies of mass production to handmade objects. Since the time of his move to new york in 1975 he has made collections of objects that continue to explore the theme of repetition as well as the closely related ideas of variation and similarity. Conceptual art, monochrome painting, contemporary art. The cast shapes are combined into parts which will each serve as half a work. The system allows for the making of enough unique shapes for every person on the planet to have one of their own.