Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo
September 2020
September 19, 2020–February 28, 2021
Immerse yourself in the mysterious installation Black Water by Armando. Experience in the dark how the smooth, reflective ink-black surface creates the illusion of an unfathomable depth. On display for the first time at the Kröller-Müller Museum!
In art, black can represent the ultimate reduction, the absolute zero. Black absorbs everything, both color and form. It may be neutral, but also heavy with meaning. It might represent the absence of light and the discomforting darkness, or death and destruction, or status and importance. Sometimes artists use black in an exploration of form and composition. Or a black surface—the absence of color—can emphasize the properties of a material or the unity of a composition.
Black Water (1964) by Armando (1929–2018), a basin filled with water in an almost entirely darkened space, is the centerpiece of the exhibition Paint it Black. This is the first time that the work has been installed in the museum. In the exhibition, Black Water is surrounded by thirteen ‘celebrities’ from the collection, many of whom haven’t seen the light of day in decades. Black also plays an important role in the works of Jo Baer, Ad Reinhardt, Richard Serra, Robert Morris, Louise Nevelson, Francesco Lo Savio, Tony Smith, and others.