LISBON.- The Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC/CCB) unveils Fred Sandback: Threading Space, a groundbreaking exhibition that delves into the minimalist genius of American artist Fred Sandback. This is the first time Sandback’s revolutionary body of work is showcased in Portugal, solidifying his place alongside contemporaries like Carl Andre, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Richard Serra, and Lawrence Weiner. Together, these artists redefined modern sculpture and pushed the boundaries of artistic convention.
Reimagining Sculpture
For over three decades, Sandback’s artistic journey was characterized by an economy of means and an embrace of stillness. He employed simple linear forms to create immersive environments that articulated space without occupying it. This exhibition spans his career from 1967 to 2003, presenting his evolution through various artistic phases. Sandback’s works blur the lines between sculpture, drawing, performance, and architecture, creating experiences that engage both body and mind.
His minimalist approach invited viewers to explore concepts of openness and confinement, presence and absence, and reality and illusion. “The line,” Sandback explained, “is a means to mediate the quality or timbre of a situation... It’s the wholeness of a situation that I’m trying to get at.” His sculptures transform spaces into sites of reflection, interaction, and movement.
A Radical Shift in Sculpture
Sandback’s artistic breakthrough came in 1967 while he was a graduate student. He constructed a work that outlined the perimeter of a rectangular solid, eliminating traditional sculptural elements like mass and weight. “It was a casual act,” he later reflected, “but it seemed to open up a lot of possibilities. I could assert a certain place or volume in its full materiality without occupying or obscuring it.”
This bold departure from conventional sculpture allowed Sandback to redefine spatial relationships. His early works used steel rods and elastic cords to create linear constructions. By 1973, he adopted acrylic yarn as his primary medium, attracted to its lightness, elasticity, and subtle materiality. Unlike the hard-edged minimalism of his peers, Sandback’s soft, tactile approach introduced a sense of domesticity and playfulness, adding layers of meaning to his work.
The Art of Threading Space
Sandback’s minimalist sculptures often appear as “inhabitable drawings.” These linear interventions in space invite viewers to move through and around them, transforming the environment into a shared experience. “I want to eliminate the quality of being elsewhere,” Sandback said, emphasizing the fullness of being present in the world.
His use of yarn—an unconventional material in high art—challenged perceptions of minimalism. It softened the geometric rigidity of his forms and imbued them with warmth and subtlety. Sandback’s sensitivity to architectural spaces allowed his works to integrate seamlessly into their surroundings, creating a dialogue between art, viewer, and environment.
Fred Sandback’s Legacy
Born in Bronxville, New York, in 1943, Fred Sandback earned his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Yale University before pursuing a master’s in Sculpture at Yale’s School of Art and Architecture. His first solo exhibitions were held in 1968 at Galerie Konrad Fischer in Düsseldorf and Galerie Heiner Friedrich in Munich, marking his entry into the international art scene.
Sandback’s influence extended beyond his sculptures. From 1981 to 1996, the Dia Art Foundation managed the Fred Sandback Museum in Winchendon, Massachusetts, dedicated to his work. In 2007, the Fred Sandback Archive was established to preserve his legacy and promote his contributions to art through exhibitions and initiatives. His works are held in prestigious collections, including the Dia Beacon in New York.
A Dialogical Experience
Fred Sandback: Threading Space invites visitors to contemplate the artist’s minimalist vocabulary and its profound implications. By stripping his art of extraneous materials, Sandback created spaces for reflection and connection. His sculptures ask nothing more than our lucid, active presence, offering a profound reminder of the beauty in simplicity.
Sandback’s ability to merge the tangible and intangible continues to inspire. As he once said, “This is the only art I can see that really lets the viewer take the wheel and still holds its power. Take my car for a spin.” His work invites us not only to observe but to inhabit art, turning every line into a portal for exploration and discovery.
Exhibition Details
This landmark exhibition runs at the MAC/CCB in Lisbon, offering a rare opportunity to experience the transformative power of Fred Sandback’s minimalist sculptures. It reaffirms his enduring relevance and his unique ability to thread space with the simplest of lines. Whether you are an art enthusiast or a curious visitor, Fred Sandback: Threading Space promises an encounter that lingers long after you leave.
