Sidereal Time. Leavitt's installation in the main hall explores Gottfried Semper's architecture, his so-called Science Totems at Hoenggerberg will reflect his take on the design of the ETH Campus. Leavitt's stages form nodes interlocking the various disciplines of art, science and architecture.
William Leavitt (b. 1941) is one of the most seminal pioneers of conceptual art in Los Angeles, helping significantly to establish the genre in the late 1960s and the 1970s. His works make use of narrative elements drawn from LA architecture and popular culture as well as from the movie and television industries. The artist works in various media, including sculpture, painting, drawing, photography and theatre.
"William Leavitt. Sidereal Time" is the first institutional solo exhibition in Switzerland of works by the LA-based artist. gta Exhibitions will present new, site-specific works simultaneously in all its exhibition areas: Whilst Leavitt’s installation in the main hall of ETH Zurich explores Gottfried Semper’s architecture, his so-called Science Totems at Hönggerberg will reflect his take on the design of the ETH Campus. Leavitt’s stages form nodes interlocking the various disciplines of art, science and architecture.
THE PARTICLES (of White Naugahyde) is the first publication of a play by William Leavitt (b. 1941). Leavitt is one of the pioneers of conceptual art in Los Angeles, helping significantly to establish the genre in the late 1960s and the 1970s. His works make use of narrative elements drawn from LA architecture and popular culture as well as from the movie and television industries. The artist works in various media, including sculpture, painting, drawing, photography and theatre.
Framed as a sitcom setting, the narrative of THE PARTICLES (of White Naugahyde) tells the story of a family auditioning for a NASA program, which sends them to a newly planned space colony.
The demanding admission process makes them live in a security-free community in the desert together with other applicants. These two weeks in the desert result in anxiety and anti-social behavior among the participants.
Published in the series STUDIOLO / Edition Patrick Frey.
Image: Twin Wall Lights, 2011
Oil on canvas
61 x 91.4 x 3.8 cm
Opening
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
6 p.m.: ETH Zurich, Hönggerberg, HIL, gta exhibitions
7 p.m.: ETH Zurich, Rämistrasse 101, Main Hall
(transfer by special shuttle bus)
Opening reception and conversation with William Leavitt, Ann Goldstein, Fredi Fischli and Niels Olsen.
Book launch: William Leavitt, "The Particles", STUDIOLO/Edition Patrick Frey
gta Exhibitions
Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture
Rämistrasse 101, Main Hall 8093 Zurich
Mo-Fr 10-18, closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays