Wavy Brushstrokes Superimposed #4

Known as one of the leading conceptualist and minimalist artists of the postwar period, Sol LeWitt created a vocabulary of form that derived from squares, cubes, and lines. Repetition, sequences, and variations were integral to his imagery. He frequently established rules by which an image would be created, leaving the actual execution to his assistants.

The series Wavy Brushstrokes is notable for its curvilinear movement and free-form strokes. In contrast to the geometric forms and monochromatic tones that characterized much of his earlier work, LeWitt explored brilliant color combinations in his wall drawings and prints toward the end of his career. For this sequence of images, LeWitt began with a matrix of gestural lines printed sequentially. In the second, third, and fourth images of the set, he used the identical matrix of lines, but printed different colors in a different order, resulting in transparent overlays and evocative combinations.

Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2010