Michael Fried – Thinking with Charles Ray

Considered by many as one of the most remarkable sculptors of present times, Charles Ray (born in Chicago in 1953 and now based in Los Angeles) is also an artist deeply engaged in a reflection about the nature of his medium. During this lecture, Michael Fried will talk about different aspects of the work and career of Charles Ray: his unflagging interest in the metal abstract sculptures of Anthony Caro, his critical relationship with minimalism, the meaning of his “reproductive” pieces and finally, above all, his uncompromising perfectionism that is so typical of his artistic approach. Among the works examined on this occasion, there will be in particular, Oh, Charley, Charley, Charley …, Untitled (Tractor), Aluminium Girl, Hinoki, The New Beetle and Sleeping Woman.