joseph kosuth installs an illuminated ontology of neon in new york

joseph kosuth installs an illuminated ontology of neon in new york
installation view of ‘agnosia, an illuminated ontology’ at sean kelly, new york
all photography by jason wyche, new york / courtesy of sean kelly, new york

‘agnosia, an illuminated ontology’ an installation by joseph kosuth
sean kelly gallery, new york
now through december 19, 2015

from now until december 19, 2015, new york’s sean kelly gallery is activated by a major installation of neon works that traverse the architectural space in ways never before used for exhibition purposes. ‘agnosia, an illuminated ontology’ comprises a momental, 50-year retrospective of neon works by renowned conceptual artist joseph kosuth. the gallery site is occupied by more than forty works dating from 1965 to the present, assembled onto the surrounding walls and crawling onto the ceiling and structural beams. vibrantly colored light is exhibited in the form of text, pictogram, symbol and sketch, forming a chronicle of kosuth’s long iestigation into the role of language and meaning in art.

works from kosuth’s most iconic neon series will be on view, including pieces from the ‘freud’ series — where the psychoanalyst’s texts regarding unconscious functioning as wall pieces and installations — and from his acclaimed ‘wittgenstein’ series –which illustrates the influence of the philosopher on kosuth’s belief that art should ask questions about itself. the exhibition also includes historic early works ‘five fives (to donald judd)’ from 1965, alongside more recent works such as his ‘camus illuminated’ series from 2013.