Lawrence Weiner (1942–2021) was an American conceptual artist whose radical use of language redefined the nature, form, and authorship of the artwork. Emerging in the late 1960s, Weiner positioned the idea itself as the primary artistic material, presenting text-based statements that could be installed on walls, façades, floors, or printed surfaces. His works—concise, poetic formulations—activate space through language and invite viewers to participate in the construction of meaning. Grounded in his belief that “the piece need not be built,” Weiner’s practice opened new possibilities for the dematerialization of the art object and remains foundational to conceptual art’s evolution.
Major solo exhibitions include Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA; Tate Modern, London, UK; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany; Museo Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico; Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., USA.
His work is included in major collections such as The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, USA; Tate, London, UK; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., USA; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA; Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles, USA; National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., USA.