Keith Sonnier (1941-2020) American: "untitled"; Mixed Technique, Monogrammed K.s.; Minimalist

Keith Sonnier (1941-2020) American: "untitled"; Mixed Technique (lithography, graphite, gouache), Monogrammed KS; 75x56cm; Minimalist
Keith Sonnier, born July 31, 1941 in Mamou, Louisiana and died July 18, 2020 in Southampton (New York)1, was an American draftsman, sculptor, artist and engraver.
The Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain (MAMAC) in Nice continues its exploration of American art and the art of assemblage by presenting an exhibition on American artist Keith Sonnier from June 12 to November 29 2015, entitled “Light Works”. Born in 1941 in Louisiana, Keith Sonnier began his career in the mid-1960s and used neon very early on. He imposes an anti-illusionist sculpture and rises up against the coldness of minimal sculptures. Sonnier mainly uses flexible materials (fabrics, ribbons, curtains and metal grids) and creates neon lights with curved shapes, inspired by his native land and his travels. His illuminated works are immediately more narrative and more expressive than those of his contemporaries like Richard Serra, Dan Flavin or Sol LeWitt. His sculptures, always joyful, aerial and moving, explore the effects of light on materials, space and the observer himself. Sonnier's work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions in France and abroad, including recently “When Attitudes Become Form” at the Prada Foundation in Venice, “Dynamo” at the Grand-Palais (Paris) and “Neon – Who's afraid of red, yellow and blue? » at the Maison Rouge (Paris) and at the MACRO (Rome). Covering approximately 1,500 m², the exhibition brings together nearly thirty works representative of the artist's career from the 1960s to the present day, from European and American private collections, as well as from the studio of the artist. 'artist. Each space is both independent and complementary; the link between each one is made through the intermediary of the footbridges, also invested by the artist. Light acts as a common thread in the course: neon as a calligraphy tool, the totemic metamorphosis of sculpture by integrating the object or even research on reflection and its consequences on surrounding elements, are all tracks proposed in the exhibition. "Light Works" is a great way to illustrate 2015, declared Year of Light in France by the United Nations (UN) International Organization. A work has been specially designed for the exhibition on the theme of the Promenade des Anglais, a commission which is part of the "PromenadeS des Anglais" event coordinated by Mr. Jean-Jacques Aillagon, former Minister of Culture and Communication. Sonnier, inspired by the Riviera city, creates in situ the work Passage Azur which is presented in the form of an astral dome enveloping the visitor like an invitation to luminous discovery. The installation refers to the coastal topography of Nice, from its origins as a Paleolithic site, until the period of the Roman invasions, the advent of Christianity, and of course, the great affection of the English people for the region, giving its name. at the Promenade des Anglais. The passage is not only metaphorical, but also literal. This work connects all these elements together under an aerial dome that seems to suggest a celestial journey, and at the same time, modern modes of transport in the urban landscape.