Did anybody ever think an egg?Do nests have style?Is there a thoughtless house?Who made the first dwelling?Is a home a living place?When is a house a home?These works are wilted ruins, sprouting towers,body rock plant hills, stumps, smears, buds andfloral sprays.They are living places.- Charles SimondsFrom the catalogue of Charles Simonds: House Plants andRocks, exhibition at Leo Castelli Gallery, NewYork, 1984 53
AFTERWORD AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS54Knoedler is proud and honored to present this exhibition of recent and newwork by Charles Simonds. As Arthur Danto concludes in his fine essay for thiscatalogue, "Charles Simonds is a singularly original figure in contemporary art:'I might add that, not unlike his work itself, Simonds has been, for many, an artist"hidden in plain sight;' yet one who has significantly challenged and changedthe very nature of art in our time.We owe a debt of gratitude to David Anfam, for introducing us to the artist.Together with David, and in her own inimitable style, Edye Weissler, KnoedlerLibrarian and Archivist, helped the gallery find its way to Charles and to makethis exhibition possible. Ben Barzune, my longstanding colleague and KnoedlerAssociate Director, worked closely with Charles, with diligence and passion, togive the exhibition its framework and shape. Ben has been a guiding force inall aspects of its organization.Our thanks to Alain Mousseigne and Valentin Rodriguez, at Les Abattoirs,Art Moderne et Contemporain, in Toulouse, for their support of the original ideaconceived for this exhibition. I remain hopeful that, one day, Fellow Travelers:Charles Simonds and Artists from the Daniel Cordier Collection will be realized.I am grateful for the opportunity, once again, to enjoy the collaborationof esteemed philosopher and writer Arthur Danto, whose thinking is so uniquelyilluminating, and whose presence is always so human.For the combined excellence and refinement of their respective crafts, mythanks, as always, to graphic designer, Leslie Miller, The Grenfell Press, and toprinter Massimo Tonolli and his staff, atTrifolio. We add our thanks, as well, toCharles' assistant, Dana Michele Hemes.This exhibition culminates the many years that Knoedler has called19 East 70th Street its home. At this momentous juncture, I would like to takethe opportunity to express my deep gratitude to all of my Knoedler colleaguesfor their dedicated work; each has contributed in meaningful ways to therealization of this project. Finally, my thanks to Knoedler's Chairman, M ichaelA. Hammer, for his ongoing support.- Frank Del Deo, Director
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CHARLES SIMONDSMENTAL EARTHGROWTHS
- Page 7 and 8: This essay concerns the thought and
- Page 10 and 11: I asked Simonds if the distinguishi
- Page 13 and 14: visit him and discuss an exhibition
- Page 15 and 16: elongs with philosophy and religion
- Page 17: Mental Earth, 2002, metal, polyuret
- Page 20 and 21: material (material reality, meant p
- Page 22 and 23: was a part of Mental Earth. I asked
- Page 24 and 25: -.&~~~
- Page 27: 26 Two Streams. 2011. metal. polyur
- Page 31: 30 Grown Walls, 2011, wood, plaster
- Page 35: 34Tumbleweed, 1993, porcelain. 9 x
- Page 38 and 39: Structures: Linear, circular and sp
- Page 41 and 42: 40Gallery, Art Department, Los Ange
- Page 43 and 44: 42Kunstverein, Stuttgart, Germany.
- Page 45 and 46: 44Set and Situations, The Museum of
- Page 47 and 48: 46__ . "Charles Simonds: Le batisse
- Page 49 and 50: SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONSLes Abat
- Page 51 and 52: September 10, 2011Dear Charles,You
- Page 53: ARTIST'S STATEMENTSFor the man in t
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