David Lamelas on Time, Space, and Dislocation in Five Decades of Art
In a 2016 conversation with Neus Miró for Afterall, David Lamelas reflects on his extensive career spanning five decades in sculpture, installation, and film. Originally from Buenos Aires, he has resided in Europe and the US since the late 1960s. He revisits early pieces such as 'Dos espacios modificados' (1967) and 'Limit of a Projection I' (1967), which challenged the essence of sculpture. His installation 'Office of Information about the Vietnam War at Three Levels' (1968) at the Venice Biennale provided live news updates. 'Time as Activity' (1969–ongoing) captures urban time capsules. Lamelas also discusses 'Connection of Three Spaces' (1966) and reflects on his 1972 piece 'Film Script (Manipulation of Meaning).' His 2016 exhibition at Sprüth Magers showcased a blend of past and contemporary works.
Key facts
- David Lamelas has explored time, space, and language for over fifty years.
- He was born in Buenos Aires and has lived in Europe and the US since the late 1960s.
- Early works include 'Dos espacios modificados' (1967) and 'Limit of a Projection I' (1967).
- 'Office of Information about the Vietnam War at Three Levels' (1968) was shown at the Venice Biennale and re-enacted at MoMA.
- 'Time as Activity' (1969–ongoing) presents observational portraits of cities via static cameras.
- 'Connection of Three Spaces' (1966) was a site-specific installation across three rooms.
- At 'Environments Reversal' (1969) at Camden Arts Centre, his film was the only film in the show.
- In the 1990s, after living in Hollywood, he returned to sculpture.
- His 2016 show at Sprüth Magers mixed old and new works.
Entities
Artists
- David Lamelas
- Neus Miró
- Nam June Paik
- Malcolm Le Grice
- Jean-Luc Godard
- Andy Warhol
- Richard Long
- Joseph Beuys
- Bruce Nauman
- Marcel Broodthaers
- Marshall McLuhan
- Peter Curry
Institutions
- Afterall
- Carlos Gardel
- Instituto Torcuato di Tella
- General Electric
- Venice Biennale
- MoMA
- Camden Arts Centre
- Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
- Sprüth Magers
Locations
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
- Europe
- United States
- New York
- London
- Düsseldorf
- Germany
- Venice
- Italy
- Los Angeles
- Hollywood
Sources
- Afterall —