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.

This collection of over 100 unique works, editions, documents and ephemera display a width of Byars’ artistic endeavours. It has been collected over 15 years by curator Paul Robertson and is currently in the hands of Unoriginal Sins. We will be displaying the entire collection here in this section of the website.New items will be added all the time – do check back.

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+.

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.

JAMES LEE BYARS. 1992.

Stockholm: Konsthalle, 1992 21 x 15cm, 40pp original black glossy wrappers. Monograph and exhibition catalogue with six full colour images of sculptures. VG.

THE SELF PORTRAIT OF JAMES LEE BYARS. 1992.

NYC: Baghoomian Gallery, 1992 21.5 x 21.5cm back sealed envelope content of a small plastic ball that can move around inside the paper. Gold printing on top left. Object multiple in the form of an announcement mailing. Fine.

JAMES LEE BYARS WORKS FROM THE 60S / RECENT WORKS. 1993.

NYC: Michael Werner, 1993 19 x12cm, unpaginated (56)pp plus boards with tipped-on b/w reproduction of a work. The concise exhibition catalogue for two consecutive exhibitions in the Werner Gallery – the first being of works from the early part of Byars’ career (with seven b/w illustrations) and, a second show of more recent “books” (which are usually sculptures) which are all displayed herein as eight full colour plates.

YOURPRESENCEISTHEBESTWORK. 1993.

N.p.(Venice) : s.p., 1993 1.8cm dia., gold circle with the tiny title text. Distributed at the 1993 Venice Biennial. Fine.