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Untitled

Maker Joseph Amar (b. 1954, Casablanca, Morocco)

Date1988

MediumFlash, powdered pigment and lead on plywood (diptych)

Dimensions1998.21.b: 23 1/4 in. x 23 1/2 in. (59.1 cm x 59.7 cm); overall: 46 3/8 in. x 23 1/2 in. (117.8 cm x 59.7 cm)

Credit LineGift of Leroy and Dorothy Lavine

Object number1998.21a-b

Status

Not on view

RightsCopyright is retained in accordance with U.S. Copyright laws

Photo creditDavis Museum at Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

More Information

Object Label

Born to a Moroccan Jewish family, Amar immigrated to Toronto in 1957; he studied at the Ontario College of Art, and moved to New York in 1979. He was influenced by the use of unconventional materials, and by the approaches to medium and style, pioneered by Spanish artist Antoni Tapies (1923-2012) and by the Italian movement, Arte Povera. He often added found objects to the surfaces of his works, thereby breaking down divisions between painting and sculpture. 1986 saw a major shift in his approach, as this piece exemplifies: Amar began to use lead sheets on wood panel with an extremely limited palette, and focused on subtle nuances in surface treatment and scale. In these works, lead is the “readymade” element while rendering through other materials—i.e., the white painted linear form that connects the two panels—contributes evidence of the artist’s hand. Amar’s promising career, and his potential in relation to the art historical record, was cut short by a horrific accident.