Robert Morris's Blind Time Drawings at Haim Chanin Fine Arts

Robert Morris, a seminal figure in American art, exhibited a selection of drawings from his ongoing Blind Time series at Haim Chanin Fine Arts in New York from September 12 to November 1, 2003. Morris, who began his career as a dancer in the 1960s before moving into sculpture, was indirectly affiliated with Fluxus and later embraced conceptual objects, minimalism, and post-conceptual narrative. The Blind Time series, initiated in 1973, involves Morris working blindfolded or with eyes tightly shut to heighten tactile engagement and achieve a trans-sensory mode of operation. While earlier works used graphite in oil on paper, the two most recent series employ various inks on Mylar. Morris describes the process as thinking about a monstrous, self-satisfied era devoid of moral doubt, wallowing in vain distractions and technological obesity. The exhibition also referenced a concurrent show of Lucas Samaras's self-portraits at the Whitney Museum, which explored the artist's ego through drawings, collages, photographs, boxes, and cutouts from the late 1950s onward. Samaras's "photo-transformations" depict his body contorted and distorted, serving as metaphors for the other within oneself. Critic Robert C. Morgan notes that Samaras's work challenges the notion of narcissism, suggesting it can be a means of psychological survival.