Peder Lund

James Lee Byars

Sphere Is a Sphere Is a Sphere Is a Sphere

March 19, 2016 – June 11, 2016

Peder Lund is pleased to announce an exhibition with the American artist James Lee Byars (1932-1997). Originally a student of art and philosophy at Wayne State University, Byars stated that his main influences were “Stein, Einstein, and Wittgenstein” After completing his studies in the United States, Byars spent nearly a decade in Japan, where he became influenced by Zen Buddhism, Noh theatre and Shinto rituals and executed his first performances. In 1958, Byars returned to the United States and forged a relationship with Dorothy Miller, senior curator of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. After meeting Byars, Miller allowed him to hold a temporary exhibition in the stairwell of MoMA, which was the artist’s New York debut. Since then, the performative events, sculptures, drawings, installations, and wearable art of James Lee Byars has been widely exhibited internationally. Up until his death at the age of 65, Byars had remained in constant pursuit of the concept of perfection and truth.

Works

The Tomb of James Lee Byars , 1986

The Tomb of James Lee Byars , 1986

James Lee Byars

The Lucky Stone, 1980

The Lucky Stone, 1980

James Lee Byars

Is Is, 1988

Is Is, 1988

James Lee Byars

The Sphere with Stairs

The Sphere with Stairs

James Lee Byars