The American artist Al Taylor, who was born in 1948 in Springfield, Missouri, studied at the Kansas City Art Institute from 1966 to 1970. Directly after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and printmaking, he moved to New York, where he lived and worked until his premature death in 1999. A long and intensive collaboration with Galerie Fred Jahn began in 1991 and signified a turning point in his career, as the artist himself noted. Taylor’s first museum exhibition took place in the Kunsthalle Bern in 1992. Works by the artist can be found in the collections of prestigious museums such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, the British Museum, London, and the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung in Munich.
Al Taylor, who was Robert Rauschenberg’s studio assistant from 1975 to 1982, repeatedly worked with the dancer and choreographer Meg Eginton in the mid eighties. While designing sets for her, he created his first object-like, three-dimensional works. These were to become – alongside the drawings – particularly meaningful to him and would often be made ‘on site’. For instance, Taylor travelled to Munich in April 1994 in order to prepare for his exhibition at Galerie Fred Jahn, which would open in May. The installation that was then shown at Galerie Fred Jahn on Baaderstraße consisted of drawings and three-dimensional objects made of tin cans, Plexiglas, wood and wire.
His constructions, made of everyday materials and things from a throw-away society, appear playfully light and fragile yet at the same time exude a remarkable presence. Hoses, tin cans, clothes hangers, hula-hoops etc., tightly wound with wire, mounted on walls and ceilings, develop a kaleidoscopic interplay of line and space, light and dark, near and far, visible presence and the loss of self. Taylor understood his objects as “drawings in space” and his drawings as works dealing with the same theme using different means – so as to insistently plumb the depths of the visual.
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Al Taylor’s X-ray Vision at the High Museum of Art, Rebecca Brantley, Burnaway, 11.01.2018Vita
1948
Al Taylor is born on March 2 in Springfield, Missouri
1966—1970
Studies art history, painting, drawing and graphic printing techniques at the Kansas City Art Institute
After that move to New York City
1975
Becomes studio assistent of Robert Rauschenberg and works for him until 1982
1984—1985
Colaborates with the choreographer and dancer Meg Eginton and designs various stage sets for her
1988
National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowship Grant in the field of sculpture
1991
Meets Fred Jahn in his New York studio on Franklin Street, who will represent and exhibit him in the future
First trip to Munich
1994
Starts the work on the series ‘Lily’s Trap’
1998
Intensive work phase in New York; the series ‘Rat Guards’, ‘Wave Theories’, ‘Floaters’, ‘Counting with Outriggers’ and ‘Bondage Ducks’ are created
1999
Al Taylor dies in New York on March 31
Selected Solo Shows
2020
Al Taylor. A / LOW / HA: The Hawaiian Works – David Zwirner, New York
The Drawings of Al Taylor – The Morgan Library and Museum, New York
2017
Al Taylor. Early Paintings – David Zwirner, New York
Al Taylor. What are you looking at – High Museum of Art, Atlanta
2015
Al Taylor. Pet Stains, Puddles, and Full Gospel Neckless – David Zwirner, New York
Al Taylor. Pass the Peas and Shrunken Heads – Galería Cayón, Madrid
2014
Al Taylor, David Zwirner, London
Al Taylor. Arbeiten auf Papier 1983–1997 – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
2013
Drawing Instruments. Al Taylor’s Bat Parts and Endcuts – High Museum of Art, Atlanta
2012
Al Taylor. Pass the Peas and Can Studys – David Zwirner, New York
2011
Al Taylor. Wire Instruments and Pet Stains – Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica
2010
Al Taylor. Latin Studies. Wall Constructions and Works on Paper – Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland
Al Taylor. Arbeiten auf Papier / Works on Paper 1983–1998 – Schönewald Fine Arts, Düsseldorf
Al Taylor. Rim Jobs and Sideffects – David Zwirner, New York
Al Taylor. Das druckgraphische Werk – Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark
2009
Al Taylor. München. Can Studies – Kunstverein Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven
2008
Al Taylor. Early Work – Zwirner & Wirth, New York
2006
Al Taylor. Puddles – Haunch of Venison, Zurich
Al Taylor. Drawings / Zeichnungen – Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich
Al Taylor – Haunch of Venison, London
2004
Al Taylor. Zeichnungen und Aquarelle 1997–1999 – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Al Taylor. Bilder und Skulpturen – Kunstparterre, Munich
2002
Al Taylor – Gagosian Gallery, New York
2001
Al Taylor. Ho’omanamana. Zeichnungen 1998 und 1999 – Galerie Zell am See, Schloss Rosenberg, Zell am See, Austria
1999
Al Taylor. Memorial Exhibition. Arbeiten auf Papier 1987–1997 – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Al Taylor. Lures & Cures – Kunstmuseum Luzern, Luzern
1998
Al Taylor. Arbeiten auf Papier 1987–1997 – Galerie Zell am See, Schloss Rosenberg, Zell am See, Austria
1997
Al Taylor. Endcuts – Skulpturen und Zeichnungen – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Al Taylor. Full Gospel Neckless – Galleri Tommy Lund, Odense, Denmark
1997
Peter Bonde, Olafur Eliasson, Al Taylor, Alan Uglow, Troels Wörsel – Galleri Tommy Lund, Odense, Denmark
1996
Al Taylor. Sideffects / Näbewürkig – Galerie Erika & Otto Friedrich, Bern
1995
Al Taylor. Temporary Observations – Nolan / Eckman Gallery, New York
Al Taylor. Lily’s Trap – Galerie Zell am See, Schloss Rosenberg, Zell am See, Austria
Al Taylor. Rim Jobs – Galleri Tommy Lund, Odense, Denmark
1994
Al Taylor. Zeichnungen 1984–1994 – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Al Taylor. Installation – Galerie Fred Jahn / Baaderstraße, Munich
Al Taylor. Skulpturen und Zeichnungen – Galerie Fred Jahn, Stuttgart
1993
Al Taylor. Drawings of Common Objects – Nolan / Eckman Gallery, New York
1992
Al Taylor. Puddles – David Nolan Gallery, New York
Al Taylor. Pass the Peas – Galerie Jahn und Fusban, Munich
Al Taylor – Kunsthalle Bern, Bern
1991
Al Taylor. Large Drawings – Galerie Alfred Kren, Cologne
1989
Al Taylor. Pet Stains. Neue Arbeiten / New Work – Galerie Alfred Kren, Cologne
1988
Al Taylor – Lorence-Monk Gallery, New York
1987
Al Taylor – Neue Arbeiten, Galerie Alfred Kren, Cologne
1986
Al Taylor. Recent Work – Alfred Kren Gallery, New York
Selected Group Shows
2021
VARIOUS OTHERS. Odd Vows – Jahn und Jahn, Munich
2017
PLAN VIEW – Jahn und Jahn, München
2016
Architecture of Life – University of California, Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive Berkeley
2015
Embracing Modernism. Ten Years of Drawings Acquisitions – The Morgan Library & Museum, New York
2013
Bildhauerzeichnungen. Barry Le Va / Fred Sandback / Al Taylor – Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Die Sammlung Hubert Looser – Kunsthaus Zürich, Zurich
2012
Pink Caviar – Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark
2009
Die Gegenwart der Linie. Eine Bestandsauswahl neuerer Erwerbungen des 20. und 21. Jahrhunderts – Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich
2005
Sets, Series, and Suites. Contemporary Prints – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Skulls. Bilder im Angesicht des Todes / Images in the Face of Death – Schönewald Fine Arts / Schönewald und Beuse, Xanten, Germany
Brice Marden / Al Taylor / Terry Winters. Works on Paper – Nolan / Eckman Gallery, New York
1994
Al Taylor / Alan Uglow – Galleri Tommy Lund, Odense, Denmark
Kirsten Ortwed / Al Taylor / Alan Uglow / Troels Wörsel – Galleri Tommy Lund, Odense, Denmark
1993
The Second Dimension. Twentieth-Century Sculptors’ Drawings – The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York
1990
Three Portfolios. Brice Marden, Al Taylor, Richard Tuttle – Galerie Alfred Kren, Cologne
1989
Projects & Portfolios. The 25th National Print Exhibition – The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York
1986
Artists for Artists – Charles Cowles Gallery / Annex, New York
1985
Drawings by Roni Horn, Michael Peglau, Al Taylor – Alfred Kren Gallery, New York
