JAMES LEE BYARS

James Lee Byars was born in Detroit in 1932. An early interest in sculpture and oriental art took him to Japan and the far East before returning to Europe and creating a strong body of work which might be regarded as “romantic minimalism”. By the 1970s he was regarded as one of the USA’s most important conceptual artists.

He was best known for a series of slight performance art actions (such as giving a brief smile to the world after emerging from a museum window) as well as very large and very small sculptural works. The use of paper (and particularly unusual papers) in editions and printed material was also a regular motif. Some of Byars’ works are just a few millimetres in size, others were the size of entire streets.

Byars also created unique letters for many of his friends and these constructions – often written in an unusual “starry” hand – are usually regarded as unique works by the artist on par with his sculptures. They are keenly collected.

Byars suddenly died in Cairo in 1997. His grave is a simple one – and its monument does not match the artist’s pure aesthetic – a final irony.

THE PERFECT THOUGHT WORKS BY JAMES LEE BYARS. 1990. SIGNED & DEDICATED BY AUTHOR.

Houston: Contemporary Arts Museum, 1990 27.5 x 21cm, 156pp plus red cloth boards and pictorial dust jacket. First edition of this well-researched monograph issued on the occasion of the large scale Texan exhibition which was planned to bring Byars to a wider American audience. The essays and introductions are good and the entire book is illustrated in b/w and full colour plates (mostly of Byar’s classically formed sculptures although paper works and performances are well represented too) but Elliott’s “Notes towards an autobiography” is an extensive timeline of Byar’s career and life and still unsurpassed in empathy. This example has some closed tears on the back and the front of the dustjacket near the spine and some wear and tear along the foldlines of the dj but internally fine. Scarce.

ZERO MASS. 1990. WITH MULTIPLE HAND-MADE CLAY BALL. ONE OF 50 DELUXE SIGNED COPIES.

Lund: Propexus, 1990 28 x 29.5 x 8.5 cm box with printed bandeau. Internal a book with metal board covers and 320pp. The deluxe edition consisting of a handmade (rough sphere) clay multiple by James Lee Byars, titled “The Sphere of Generosity,” and a blue steel covered book by Eric Orr and Byars. The book contains “The Matter of O,” a rubber-stamped stain of Orr’s blood; “Skull Page,” made of handmade paper using Kozo fibers and a powdered mummy skull with red screenprinting. Pages 25 / 26 were hand-torn by the artist. The book, a monograph / catalogue raisonné by Orr with interventions by Byars, and multiple are housed in a large polystyrene box and slipcased in a screenprinted cardboard box. An overwhelmingly well produced project that sets a high standard for both artists’ publications and artist designed monographs. This is one of the very small number of signed examples. Fine

UNTITLED LETTER (HEART). 1990s. VERY LARGE UNIQUE WORK ON PAPER

145.4 x 117.5cm, graphite on heart shaped gold paper. A letter to the art historian Toni Stoss – the text in Byars starry writing is hard to read. Folded for posting but now displayed unfolded on a backing board. Minor repaired tears at a couple of corners. Unique – probably early 1990s.

UNTITLED (WHERE’S YR POET LAUREATE?). c. 1990. ORIGINAL HUGE HANDWRITTEN LETTER.

Very large original paper letter on two pieces of conjoined crepe paper – opens to 246 x 33.5cm (folded many times for posting down to 13.5 x 18cm). An original letter from Byars to Paul Jolle congratulating the latter on some unspecified (perhaps spurious) promotion. The text is written in Byar’s handwriting. The text says: “DEAR MR J. CONGRATULATIONS. ON YR NEWEST INVENTED POSITION, SEC OF ST. CH. DON’T YOU LOVE ABBREVIATIONS AND NOW AS CHIEF OF CH. WHERE’S YR POET LAUREATE? SUPPOSE AFTER THE FIRST WORD OF THE P.L. IS PERFECT THAT CH. EVEN GETS OFFICIALLY ENGLISH. HOW VERY EXCELLENT TO BE AN OFFIC. POLYGLOT COUNTRY WITH A WHITE POETIC FLAG. I DO HOPE YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE GREAT ONLY BY NOW. IF NOT CALL JURGEN CH. AT THE KUNST-MUSEUM FOR A VERY CAREFUL EXAMINATION. ALSO YOU SHOULD ASK FOR A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PERFECT WHISPER FOR YOU. AWAITING YOUR RPLY. SINCERELY JAMES LEE BYARS BERN.” Paul Jolles was a Swiss diplomat who Byars befriended after he met the artist at the Toni Gerber Gallery in Bern. Apart from being heavily folded this is in very good condition and is a typical and early brief from the romantic minimalist (with an air of appealing for a commission about it).

UNTITLED (LITTLE SHORT GOLD SUMMER FLAG). C. 1990. ORIGINAL HUGE TWO PART HANDWRITTEN LETTER ON SHAPED PAPER.

Two part, very large, original paper letter – each 100 x 34.5cm on gold shaped paper where the top of the paper resembles a dome. Both sheets are folded many times for posting down to 13.5 x 18cm). An original letter from Byars to Paul Jolle congratulating the latter on some unspecified (perhaps spurious) promotion. The text is written in Byar’s handwriting. The text says: “DEAR GREAT MR J. THE POWER OF THE GR.(?) PLEASE DON’T YOU THINK ONE OF MY XXXXX WOULD LOOK FINE HIGH UP IN SOME PARLIAMENT ROOM I’M HAVING EXHIBITION (sic) AT GERBERS AND AND THIS AFTERNOON / I’D LOVE TO SEE YOU. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT CH’D LET IT’S POETIC FLAG GET SO RENEWED. I’M HOPING FOR A VERY GREAT CREATIVE RESP. FROM THE BERN INTELLECTUALS? HELP? I DO HOPE YOU LIKE LITTLE SHORT GOLD SUMMER FLAG TOO? REGARDS AND THANK YOU B.” The words are hard to read in places but as usual Byars is being both flattering and hinting at a possible commission from the reader at the same time. The “little short gold summer flag” may well refer to the two shaped gold pieces of paper the letter is written on. Byars was always very admiring of the simplicity of the Swiss flag. Both folded parts of the letter are housed in an original 13 x 17.7cm white enveleope on which Byars has drawn a large letter “J” in his starry handwriting style. Paul Jolles was a Swiss diplomat who Byars befriended after he met the artist at the Toni Gerber Gallery in Bern. Apart from being heavily folded and the odd tiny tear at the indexes of folds this is in very good condition and is a typical brief from the romantic minimalist (if with an air of self interest about it).

THE PATH OF LUCK. 1991.

NYC: Michael Werner, 1991 19 x12cm, unpaginated (52)pp plus boards with boards. The concise exhibition catalogue with five full colour images of sculptures. Fine.

TRIBUTE TO THE NEW GENERATION. 1991.

Dusseldorf/Kassel/Venice: ASPC, 1991
1.8cm, embossed golden circle with a spiral raised on the thing card. Unlimited edition but now very scarce. VG+.

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. 1991.

Koln: Galerie Michael Werner, 1991 44 x 57cm, 1pp colour poster on thin paper showing an image of the white sculpture "The Sleeping Beauty" which is a rectangular block of white marble against a black background. Folded as issued to allow mailing in a white printed envelope (9.5 x 21.5cm) with the gallery address. This envelope has been posted to the photographer Benjamin Katz. Both VG+.

JAMES LEE BYARS. 1991.

Koln: Michael Werner, 1991
9.5 x 12.5cm, 1pp typographic invitation card for the exhibition opening. VG+.

SELF PORTRAITS. 1992.

NYC: Vrej Baghoomian Gallery, 1992 15 x 21cm, 1pp typographic design announcement card for a show by Byars alongside Ulay's Long Playing Record. A mailed example with typed address and postal franking on back but still VG+.

THE THINKING FIELD. 1992.

NYC: Mary Boone, 1992
15.5 x 21cm, 4pp. Announcement card for a solo show by Byars including the large title installation of marble spheres on a large stone field. Inside gallery details. This example has some red ink and a rubber stamp impression inside "Artist's File" else VG+.

TYPED LETTER TO MONSIEUR AND MADAME ERIC GERMAIN. 1992.

Tillhet-Pretnare, Jeanne TYPED LETTER TO MONSIEUR AND MADAME ERIC GERMAIN. Signed and dated 17 Mars 1992 30 x 21cm, 2pp – a legal opinion about Byars use of the Gallimard cover style written to two of Byars’ patrons in France. Antoine Gallimard had taken offence and tried to protect his copyright on the design. The letter warns of possible legal action and the impossibility of defending the publication if another was produced.