Minimalissimo

Forms of Scott Burton

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American sculptor and performance artist Scott Burton (1939–1989) ingeniously blurred boundaries between sculpture, furniture, and performance, creating minimalist works that continued to be celebrated and studied today. Burton considered his art as pragmatic sculpture where his furniture evolved from his performances.

By the late 1960s, Burton began staging performances that featured men interacting with found furniture. In 1975, he realised his first sculpture in bronze, initiating the sculptural work that he would become best known for throughout the 1970s and 80s. Here, we explore some of Burton's most striking and minimalist furniture designs.

His work is in major institutions including the Tate Modern in London, the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American art, both in New York and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. His public art installations are in many cities across America including New York, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Portland.

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