House
Les Levine
1971
House
House
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At the time when Gordon Matta-Clark was physically cutting through buildings slated for demolition, Les Levine was trying to do, on a more conceptual and sculptural scale, the opposite: rebuilding collapsed and decaying homes.   ...
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House
Les Levine
1971
Hilversum: Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co.
Unpaginated [52 pages]
25 × 25 cm

At the time when Gordon Matta-Clark was physically cutting through buildings slated for demolition, Les Levine was trying to do, on a more conceptual and sculptural scale, the opposite: rebuilding collapsed and decaying homes.


 


In the early 1970s, Les Levine was mainly known for his environmental and participatory works, such as Star Series (1966) and Slipover (1967). Inscribed within this line of inquiry, House (1971) takes the form of a photographic documentation of a derelict construction – a house and its barn – seen from different perspectives and in various states of alteration. Levine’s project opens itself up to potential reconstructions. In keeping with the logic of mail art, his conceptual exercise takes the form of an invitation extended to other artists. The idea is clearly stated on the publication’s last page:


 


“Each photograph in this book is a working plan for a sculpture or monument. The person who acquires this book should attempt to erect one of the monuments according to the scale of the space that he finds available. He may do this alone or in conjunction with a group. When he has finished his work on the monument or is tired of it, he should send photographs to Les Levine, 181 Mott Street, New York, New York 10012, U.S.A.”


 


Designed by Pieter Brattinga, the book was published by Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co. in Hilversum, the Netherlands, as part of the Quadrat-Prints experimental series, which covered graphic design, visual arts, literature, architecture, and music. It was intended to be distributed free of charge, within the limits of the available supply.

Hilversum: Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co.
Unpaginated [52 pages]
25 × 25 cm

At the time when Gordon Matta-Clark was physically cutting through buildings slated for demolition, Les Levine was trying to do, on a more conceptual and sculptural scale, the opposite: rebuilding collapsed and decaying homes.

 

In the early 1970s, Les Levine was mainly known for his environmental and participatory works, such as Star Series (1966) and Slipover (1967). Inscribed within this line of inquiry, House (1971) takes the form of a photographic documentation of a derelict construction – a house and its barn – seen from different perspectives and in various states of alteration. Levine’s project opens itself up to potential reconstructions. In keeping with the logic of mail art, his conceptual exercise takes the form of an invitation extended to other artists. The idea is clearly stated on the publication’s last page:

 

“Each photograph in this book is a working plan for a sculpture or monument. The person who acquires this book should attempt to erect one of the monuments according to the scale of the space that he finds available. He may do this alone or in conjunction with a group. When he has finished his work on the monument or is tired of it, he should send photographs to Les Levine, 181 Mott Street, New York, New York 10012, U.S.A.”

 

Designed by Pieter Brattinga, the book was published by Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co. in Hilversum, the Netherlands, as part of the Quadrat-Prints experimental series, which covered graphic design, visual arts, literature, architecture, and music. It was intended to be distributed free of charge, within the limits of the available supply.

DESCRIPTION

At the time when Gordon Matta-Clark was physically cutting through buildings slated for demolition, Les Levine was trying to do, on a more conceptual and sculptural scale, the opposite: rebuilding collapsed and decaying homes.

 

In the early 1970s, Les Levine was mainly known for his environmental and participatory works, such as Star Series (1966) and Slipover (1967). Inscribed within this line of inquiry, House (1971) takes the form of a photographic documentation of a derelict construction – a house and its barn – seen from different perspectives and in various states of alteration. Levine’s project opens itself up to potential reconstructions. In keeping with the logic of mail art, his conceptual exercise takes the form of an invitation extended to other artists. The idea is clearly stated on the publication’s last page:

 

“Each photograph in this book is a working plan for a sculpture or monument. The person who acquires this book should attempt to erect one of the monuments according to the scale of the space that he finds available. He may do this alone or in conjunction with a group. When he has finished his work on the monument or is tired of it, he should send photographs to Les Levine, 181 Mott Street, New York, New York 10012, U.S.A.”

 

Designed by Pieter Brattinga, the book was published by Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co. in Hilversum, the Netherlands, as part of the Quadrat-Prints experimental series, which covered graphic design, visual arts, literature, architecture, and music. It was intended to be distributed free of charge, within the limits of the available supply.

Hilversum: Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co.
Unpaginated [52 pages]
25 × 25 cm

At the time when Gordon Matta-Clark was physically cutting through buildings slated for demolition, Les Levine was trying to do, on a more conceptual and sculptural scale, the opposite: rebuilding collapsed and decaying homes.

 

In the early 1970s, Les Levine was mainly known for his environmental and participatory works, such as Star Series (1966) and Slipover (1967). Inscribed within this line of inquiry, House (1971) takes the form of a photographic documentation of a derelict construction – a house and its barn – seen from different perspectives and in various states of alteration. Levine’s project opens itself up to potential reconstructions. In keeping with the logic of mail art, his conceptual exercise takes the form of an invitation extended to other artists. The idea is clearly stated on the publication’s last page:

 

“Each photograph in this book is a working plan for a sculpture or monument. The person who acquires this book should attempt to erect one of the monuments according to the scale of the space that he finds available. He may do this alone or in conjunction with a group. When he has finished his work on the monument or is tired of it, he should send photographs to Les Levine, 181 Mott Street, New York, New York 10012, U.S.A.”

 

Designed by Pieter Brattinga, the book was published by Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co. in Hilversum, the Netherlands, as part of the Quadrat-Prints experimental series, which covered graphic design, visual arts, literature, architecture, and music. It was intended to be distributed free of charge, within the limits of the available supply.

MORE BOOKS

At the time when Gordon Matta-Clark was physically cutting through buildings slated for demolition, Les Levine was trying to do, on a more conceptual and sculptural scale, the opposite: rebuilding collapsed and decaying homes.

 

In the early 1970s, Les Levine was mainly known for his environmental and participatory works, such as Star Series (1966) and Slipover (1967). Inscribed within this line of inquiry, House (1971) takes the form of a photographic documentation of a derelict construction – a house and its barn – seen from different perspectives and in various states of alteration. Levine’s project opens itself up to potential reconstructions. In keeping with the logic of mail art, his conceptual exercise takes the form of an invitation extended to other artists. The idea is clearly stated on the publication’s last page:

 

“Each photograph in this book is a working plan for a sculpture or monument. The person who acquires this book should attempt to erect one of the monuments according to the scale of the space that he finds available. He may do this alone or in conjunction with a group. When he has finished his work on the monument or is tired of it, he should send photographs to Les Levine, 181 Mott Street, New York, New York 10012, U.S.A.”

 

Designed by Pieter Brattinga, the book was published by Steendrukkerij de Jong & Co. in Hilversum, the Netherlands, as part of the Quadrat-Prints experimental series, which covered graphic design, visual arts, literature, architecture, and music. It was intended to be distributed free of charge, within the limits of the available supply.

MORE BOOKS