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The Art of Three Worlds (the generative condition)

Drawing
1981 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Paul Neagu (born 1930, Romania; died 2004 UK) has been an important figure in European art since the 1970s. His work and teaching have been influential. He worked in variety of media including sculpture, installation, painting and performance. This drawing is one of a group of 93 given by the artist to the V&A in 1999. This group of drawings was selected by the artist (with the curator Gill Saunders) to trace the development - as far as is possible through works on paper - of Neagu's career. The development, metamorphosis and recurrence of motifs can be seen in different media and variant forms. The drawings record several of his 'signature' forms: the hyphen, the starhead, and his so-called 'subject generator'. There are also studies which relate to installations and performances, and to his concept of 'generative art', an idea which was fundamental to his creative practice. The drawings as a group demonstrate the fascinating interplay of ideas across different media and over the passage of nearly 30 years.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Art of Three Worlds (the generative condition) (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Pencil, black ink and blue ballpoint pen on graph paper, laid down on stiff paper
Brief description
Paul Neagu: The Art of Three Worlds. Diagram for sculptural installation. 1981
Physical description
Diagram for sculptural installation, from the series 'Cosmosizing Man'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 29.8cm
  • Width: 21cm
  • Support height: 418mm
  • Support width: 296mm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Name, address, telephone number and 'hyphen' logo of Generative Art Trust (Stamp; On support sheet; Stamped; ink)
  • Paul Neagu. 1981 (Signature; date; handwriting; ink; Neagu, Paul)
  • Circular logo lettered GENERATIVE ARTS PAUL NEAGU (Stamp; on graph paper; Stamped; ink)
  • 1981 (handwriting; red chalk; Neagu, Paul)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Subject depicted
Summary
Paul Neagu (born 1930, Romania; died 2004 UK) has been an important figure in European art since the 1970s. His work and teaching have been influential. He worked in variety of media including sculpture, installation, painting and performance. This drawing is one of a group of 93 given by the artist to the V&A in 1999. This group of drawings was selected by the artist (with the curator Gill Saunders) to trace the development - as far as is possible through works on paper - of Neagu's career. The development, metamorphosis and recurrence of motifs can be seen in different media and variant forms. The drawings record several of his 'signature' forms: the hyphen, the starhead, and his so-called 'subject generator'. There are also studies which relate to installations and performances, and to his concept of 'generative art', an idea which was fundamental to his creative practice. The drawings as a group demonstrate the fascinating interplay of ideas across different media and over the passage of nearly 30 years.
Bibliographic reference
Lisa Le Feuvre, Gill Armstrong, <u>Palpable sculpture : Paul Neagu </u> [Leeds] : Henry Moore Institute, 2015. 91 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 23 cm. 9781905462513
Collection
Accession number
E.342-1999

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Record createdJanuary 11, 2000
Record URL
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