Ken Tyler Reflects on 35 Years of Collaboration with Frank Stella
In April 2011, the International Sculpture Center honored Frank Stella with a Lifetime Achievement Award during a gala in New York. Ken Tyler emphasized their 35-year partnership, which resulted in nearly 400 editions of prints and original tapestries across multiple countries. Their collaborative endeavors included designing a model for BMW's 1976 Le Mans race car, creating a paper pop-up sculpture in Chicago, and developing "smoke ring" images in Sweden. Stella's artistic process was characterized by swift creation paired with careful refinement, prioritizing form over technique. Since the 1970s, he has integrated new technologies, fusing handcrafted elements with cutting-edge materials. Tyler remarked on Stella's spontaneous artistic style, turning ordinary items into significant sculptures, with his studio as a creative epicenter.
Key facts
- Frank Stella received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sculpture Center in April 2011
- Ken Tyler collaborated with Stella for 35 years across nearly 400 editions
- Collaborations included prints, tapestries, scarves, ceramic plates, and race car designs
- Projects spanned workshops in California, New York, France, Australia, Italy, Korea, Hong Kong, Sweden, Arizona, and Connecticut
- Stella focused on rapid creation followed by detailed revision, often working with new technologies
- He was described as generous, sharing techniques with artists like Anthony Caro
- Joan Mitchell noted in 1992 that both Tyler and Stella were hands-on with technology
- Stella embraced methods from aerospace panels to 3D printing while maintaining his distinctive style
Entities
Artists
- Frank Stella
- Ken Tyler
- Anthony Caro
- Joan Mitchell
Institutions
- International Sculpture Center
- Tyler Graphics
- Tumba Bruk
- BMW
- The Colbert Report
Locations
- New York
- United States
- California
- France
- Australia
- Italy
- Korea
- Hong Kong
- Chicago
- Sweden
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- Brazil