04. Kosuth on his work (2007)
creator(s) Sanneke Stigter (conservator/art historian)
contributor(s) Annick Kleizen (researcher)
publisher Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

Interviews with Joseph Kosuth and his own writings provide interesting information on the artist's thoughts and his intention with his art, which makes us understand better how he thought his work should be understood. These documents carry essential information that should be studied in order to understand the meaning of an artwork by Kosuth. Only then one is able to manage an installation like 'Glass (one and three)' in good practice.

It is important to study the art historical sources and to differentiate between what and when the artist has stated in relation to the period in which the artworks were first realized. Kosuth dates all his ’object definitions’ like ’Glass (one and three)’ 1965. This is the moment when the idea originated coupled to the first materialization in ’One and three chair’, now in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is important to validate what the artist says or writes for the sake of art history.

Click download for document with an analysis of quotations by Joseph Kosuth (PDF).

Attribution