No Title (Oil Can)
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© ARS, NY and DACS, London 2009

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No Title (Oil Can) 2004
  • Artist Rooms
Epic scale has been traditionally reserved for sculptures of political statesmen or sovereign leaders, where size is used to exert the powerful status of the subject. Therrien employs the same device for a mass-produced oil can. The object’s dimensions emphasise the elegant minimalism of its design, in which simple lines and shapes are reminiscent of the classical grandeur of heroic monuments. The highly polished surface captures the viewer’s own reflection in front of the sculpture. Dwarfed by the oversized structure, the artist seems to question the function of such a simple utilitarian object, and how we perceive ourselves in relation to it.

Glossary Open

Minimalism

An art movement of the 1960s onwards, primarily in sculpture. It was in part a reaction against the flamboyance of Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism. It is characterised by a lack of expressiveness and the use of simple forms, often in repetition.

Minimalism

Details

  • Acc. No. AR00167
  • Medium Stainless steel
  • Size 246.00 x 53.00 cm
  • Credit ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008

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