Collection: Robert Osborne

    Robert Osborne     Athol, MA

"Years ago, as a young art dealer in Manhattan, I saw two art exhibitions: Robert Ryman's first showing of his almost-all- white paintings and Eve Hesse's "Hang-ups" (curtains). Twice I was a witness to art historical events and at the time I didn't know it.

Now, as a working artist myself with different knowledge, I find these artists and others of the "Dia generation" (Michael Kimmelman's label for minimalists and conceptualists, many of whose work is on view at the Dia, Beacon, N.Y.) most relevant for today. Their work is about optics, light, architecture, and a unique philosophical approach to seeing (thinking). I am also investigating the string constructions of Fred Sandback (1943-2003), another artist of that era, appreciating his exploration of volume and space. These artists and their peers have informed my own approach to sculpture.

What I hope to offer is work that is a little more on the questioning side -- to make viewers really look closely and think about the images and their interactions, much like what I experience when visiting the Dia. "