Cage, John. (1912–1992). Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel. Plexigram II.
Plexigram II, multiple comprising 8 screenprints on plexiglass, mounted on a detachable walnut base. 344x507 mm; 13 1/2x20 inches, sheets. Plexigrams are not signed and the numbered colophon is lacking. Published by Eye Editions, Cincinnati, stamped on the base by the printer, Hollanders Workshop, Inc., New York, 1969. Panels somewhat cloudy, and each with some scratches, small losses to paint, abrasions along the lower edge where slotted into the base. The finish on the wooden base somewhat sun-faded, else fine.
Cage’s first visual artwork, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel (1969), was created to honor the passing of his friend and mentor, Marcel Duchamp. Each of the eight “Plexigrams” is comprised of silkscreened Plexiglas panels. Through chance operations, Cage randomly selected words and numbers from the dictionary and transposed them onto Plexiglas in a disintegrating composition. Assembled together, the Plexigrams resemble a translucent tombstone with ghostly, fading inscriptions. The title refers to a comment Jasper Johns made to Cage when artists were encouraged to respond in memoriam to Duchamp’s death, “I don’t want to say anything about Marcel.” Duchamp’s iconic The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass), (1915–23) as well as Robert Rauschenberg’s Revolvers (1967) had a significant impact on Cage’s thinking when conceiving of this suite of works.
Irwin Hollander was the first trained master printer to leave Tamarind and start his own workshop. In 1964, the New Yorker moved back to his native city and established Hollander Graphic Workshop, where he brought the newly invigorated process of lithography to a number of artists, as June Wayne had envisioned. Among them was the avant-garde musician John Cage, who produced his first work of fine art with Hollander. The artist had just performed a musical piece for which 50 slide projectors were directed on screens while harpsichords played in the distance. Cage became inspired by the layering and floating screens, which is how he and Hollander came to use Plexiglas. The entire work consists of four of these plexigrams along with a lithograph, an ensemble that incorporates traditional lithography as well as more experimental printmaking.
Cage, John. (1912–1992). Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel. Plexigram II.
Plexigram II, multiple comprising 8 screenprints on plexiglass, mounted on a detachable walnut base. 344x507 mm; 13 1/2x20 inches, sheets. Plexigrams are not signed and the numbered colophon is lacking. Published by Eye Editions, Cincinnati, stamped on the base by the printer, Hollanders Workshop, Inc., New York, 1969. Panels somewhat cloudy, and each with some scratches, small losses to paint, abrasions along the lower edge where slotted into the base. The finish on the wooden base somewhat sun-faded, else fine.
Cage’s first visual artwork, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel (1969), was created to honor the passing of his friend and mentor, Marcel Duchamp. Each of the eight “Plexigrams” is comprised of silkscreened Plexiglas panels. Through chance operations, Cage randomly selected words and numbers from the dictionary and transposed them onto Plexiglas in a disintegrating composition. Assembled together, the Plexigrams resemble a translucent tombstone with ghostly, fading inscriptions. The title refers to a comment Jasper Johns made to Cage when artists were encouraged to respond in memoriam to Duchamp’s death, “I don’t want to say anything about Marcel.” Duchamp’s iconic The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass), (1915–23) as well as Robert Rauschenberg’s Revolvers (1967) had a significant impact on Cage’s thinking when conceiving of this suite of works.
Irwin Hollander was the first trained master printer to leave Tamarind and start his own workshop. In 1964, the New Yorker moved back to his native city and established Hollander Graphic Workshop, where he brought the newly invigorated process of lithography to a number of artists, as June Wayne had envisioned. Among them was the avant-garde musician John Cage, who produced his first work of fine art with Hollander. The artist had just performed a musical piece for which 50 slide projectors were directed on screens while harpsichords played in the distance. Cage became inspired by the layering and floating screens, which is how he and Hollander came to use Plexiglas. The entire work consists of four of these plexigrams along with a lithograph, an ensemble that incorporates traditional lithography as well as more experimental printmaking.
