Craig Kauffman became known in the mid-1960s for his innovative use of industrial plastic as a support for painting. He gained significant recognition for several series of works, and investigated both form and coloration, challenging the medium while remaining in the conversation with both mainstream Minimalism and the artists associated with Light and Space.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1967
Vacuum formed colored plastic
87.6 × 142.9 × 21 cm
34 1/2 × 56 1/4 × 8 1/4 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1968
Acrylic lacquer on vacuum formed plastic
57.2 × 132 × 31.8 cm
22 ½ × 52 × 12 ½ inches
Collection of Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

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His works were wall-bound paintings, yet remained somewhere between low relief and sculpture, activating the wall and the environment around them. Yet, like many artists, he was not content and continued his restless exploration of painting.

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1967
Vacuum formed colored plastic
87.6 × 142.9 × 21 cm
34 1/2 × 56 1/4 × 8 1/4 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1967

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1967

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1968
Acrylic lacquer on vacuum formed plastic
57.2 × 132 × 31.8 cm
22 ½ × 52 × 12 ½ inches
Collection of Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1968

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His works were wall-bound paintings, yet remained somewhere between low relief and sculpture, activating the wall and the environment around them. Yet, like many artists, he was not content and continued his restless exploration of painting.

In the early 1970s, Kauffman moved from his increasingly atmospheric plastic relief paintings to a new kind of painted construction. Rather than continuing to produce the luminous works that established his reputation, or to proceed with light installations that he had successfully begun, Kauffman realized that he wanted to return to the studio. He wanted to renew and engage with his love of painting.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1969
Acrylic lacquer on plastic
185.4 × 127 × 22.9 cm
73 × 50 × 9 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1969
Acrylic lacquer on plastic
185.4 × 127 × 22.9 cm
73 × 50 × 9 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1969 (detail)

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In the early 1970s, Kauffman moved from his increasingly atmospheric plastic relief paintings to a new kind of painted construction. Rather than continuing to produce the luminous works that established his reputation, or to proceed with light installations that he had successfully begun, Kauffman realized that he wanted to return to the studio. He wanted to renew and engage with his love of painting.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71
Acrylic lacquer on plastic
142.2 × 185.4 × 5.1 cm
56 × 73 × 2 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972
Ink, paint, and charcoal on paper
57.2 × 76.2 cm
22 1/2 × 30 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled drawing for water reflection installation, 1971
Ink on paper

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Details
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71
Acrylic lacquer on plastic
142.2 × 185.4 × 5.1 cm
56 × 73 × 2 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71
Acrylic lacquer on plastic
142.2 × 185.4 × 5.1 cm
56 × 73 × 2 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1970–71 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972
Ink, paint, and charcoal on paper
57.2 × 76.2 cm
22 1/2 × 30 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972
Ink, paint, and charcoal on paper
57.2 × 76.2 cm
22 1/2 × 30 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled drawing for water reflection installation, 1971
Ink on paper

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“[…] the only way I can work my way back into painting is to really reconstruct painting for myself.” –Craig Kauffman

Using Plexiglas as a support for almost a decade, he had continuously refined each series, which “became more and more ephemeral,” as he said. He had also followed his interest in visual perception and light installations, culminating with a group exhibit titled “Transparency, Reflection, Light and Space: Four Artists,” at UCLA in 1971.1 There, Kauffman had installed troughs of water, activated by fans and illuminated by spotlights, to create a “moving image of water reflections.”2

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman, Transparency, Reflection, Light, Space: Four Artists, installation view, UCLA Wight Art Gallery, 1971. Photo: Frank J. Thomas

 

Kauffman later wrote, “It was quite successful and it seemed logical to proceed in this environmental direction. My friends Larry Bell and Bob Irwin with whom I share a common aesthetic ground were moving in this direction already.” But where Irwin, Bell, James Turrell, and Doug Wheeler continued with installations of light and perception, Kauffman stopped, and went back to the studio. As he said in a later interview, “…I really just kind of felt at a certain point that I didn't want to do that, I wanted to work in my studio and really have less problems with installation.”

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74
Acrylic on wood and muslin
243.8 × 212.1 cm
96 × 83 1/2 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74
Acrylic on wood and muslin
243.8 × 212.1 cm
96 × 83 1/2 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74
Acrylic on wood and muslin
243.8 × 212.1 cm
96 × 83 1/2 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–74

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman working in his Paris studio, 1976. Photo: Kathy Halbower

 

Kauffman began working at the intersection of diverse concerns; from the beauty of Asian garden gates and Japanese tea houses, to Mexican beach shacks; from observations of buildings with curving arches and open windows, to the commonplace studio interior.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
V.P. With Red, 1974
Acrylic on wood and muslin
187.3 × 160 cm
73 3/4 × 63 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
V.P. With Red, 1974
Acrylic on wood and muslin
187.3 × 160 cm
73 3/4 × 63 inches

Craig Kauffman
V.P. With Red, 1974
Acrylic on wood and muslin
187.3 × 160 cm
73 3/4 × 63 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
V.P. With Red, 1974

Craig Kauffman
V.P. With Red, 1974

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Kauffman began working at the intersection of diverse concerns; from the beauty of Asian garden gates and Japanese tea houses, to Mexican beach shacks; from observations of buildings with curving arches and open windows, to the commonplace studio interior.

Since his high school days, Kauffman had a background in architecture. In fact, he won an award as a senior in high school, which facilitated his admission to the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California in the fall of 1950. At USC, Kauffman made, according to classmate Frank Gehry, “amazing work for a beginning architecture student. And then he disappeared.”4

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman in Sawtelle Boulevard studio, 1958. Photographer unknown. Courtesy Archives of American Art.

He didn’t disappear, he just moved across town. By early 1952, Kauffman had transferred to UCLA for the fine art program, majoring in painting. But the interest and ability in architectural drawing stayed with him, providing him with skills and methods in planning, spatial conception and drawing. For this series, Kauffman was the architect, the builder, and the painter—all within his own studio domain.

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman in Sawtelle Boulevard studio, 1958. Photographer unknown. Courtesy Archives of American Art.

He didn’t disappear, he just moved across town. By early 1952, Kauffman had transferred to UCLA for the fine art program, majoring in painting. But the interest and ability in architectural drawing stayed with him, providing him with skills and methods in planning, spatial conception and drawing. For this series, Kauffman was the architect, the builder, and the painter—all within his own studio domain.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1974
Mixed media and collage on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink and graphite on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

When it came to the Constructed Paintings some two decades later, line drawings, in black ink or graphite, are the first encounter with the ideas for Kauffman. The line is direct and never tentative. Rather, it is bold and laid down with authority. There is no use of shading, and the line is free, although it describes form as if the line were a type of building material.

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1974
Mixed media and collage on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1974
Mixed media and collage on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink and graphite on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink and graphite on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Details
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When it came to the Constructed Paintings some two decades later, line drawings, in black ink or graphite, are the first encounter with the ideas for Kauffman. The line is direct and never tentative. Rather, it is bold and laid down with authority. There is no use of shading, and the line is free, although it describes form as if the line were a type of building material.

A framework built out of linear elements, as Kauffman defines the architecture. That framework, a kind of scaffolding, is then built in wood—stick by stick. It’s as if Kauffman were making a small human-scale structure on which to hang his color and feeling. After the lines are composed, and the building is done, the color notes are applied, with each color often specified in a list on the drawing.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–76
Ink and graphite on paper
45.7 × 30.5 cm
18 × 12 inches

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Details
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–76
Ink and graphite on paper
45.7 × 30.5 cm
18 × 12 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–76
Ink and graphite on paper
45.7 × 30.5 cm
18 × 12 inches

Details
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A framework built out of linear elements, as Kauffman defines the architecture. That framework, a kind of scaffolding, is then built in wood—stick by stick. It’s as if Kauffman were making a small human-scale structure on which to hang his color and feeling. After the lines are composed, and the building is done, the color notes are applied, with each color often specified in a list on the drawing.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Paris Arch, 1973–74
Acrylic on wood and muslin
273.1 × 208.3 cm
107 1/2 × 82 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Paris Arch, 1973–74
Acrylic on wood and muslin
273.1 × 208.3 cm
107 1/2 × 82 inches

Craig Kauffman
Paris Arch, 1973–74
Acrylic on wood and muslin
273.1 × 208.3 cm
107 1/2 × 82 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Paris Arch, 1973–74

Craig Kauffman
Paris Arch, 1973–74

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink and graphite on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

More views
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Details
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink and graphite on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74
Ink and graphite on paper
34 × 27.3 cm
13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1973–74 (detail)

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Every one of these pieces started as a drawing, even though the final painting may seem to have an improvisational feeling. Each construction can be traced to a sheet within a sketchbook, of a single structure in line form, without gradation or shading. Some drawings are taken from a sheet of paper with four or six images.

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Navire jaune, 1976
Acrylic on wood and muslin
236.22 × 226.1 cm
93 × 89 inches
Collection of Laguna Art Museum

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Navire jaune, 1976
Acrylic on wood and muslin
236.22 × 226.1 cm
93 × 89 inches
Collection of Laguna Art Museum

Details
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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1976
Mixed media and collage on paper
55.9 × 76.2 cm
22 × 30 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1976
Mixed media and collage on paper
55.9 × 76.2 cm
22 × 30 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1976
Mixed media and collage on paper
55.9 × 76.2 cm
22 × 30 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1976 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1976 (detail)

Details
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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972
Acrylic lacquer on press formed plastic
243.8 × 152.4 cm
96 × 60 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Study, 1972
Watercolor and ink on paper
25.4 × 35.6 cm
10 × 14 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972
Acrylic lacquer on press formed plastic
127 × 181.6 cm
50 × 71 1/2 inches

The Constructed Paintings are very much related to the 1972–73 press-formed plastic paintings that are like simple wooden boards, or construction materials. As Kauffman said in an interview: “…then I went into forming those pieces that were only seen in Paris: some bars, and there are some that are like boards….I just called them bars. They're sort of like boards. They're actually done over boards, put on sort of like the boards on a house around here. They had a more kind of local building-material quality to them.” 5

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972
Acrylic lacquer on press formed plastic
243.8 × 152.4 cm
96 × 60 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Study, 1972
Watercolor and ink on paper
25.4 × 35.6 cm
10 × 14 inches

Craig Kauffman
Study, 1972
Watercolor and ink on paper
25.4 × 35.6 cm
10 × 14 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1972
Acrylic lacquer on press formed plastic
127 × 181.6 cm
50 × 71 1/2 inches

Details
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1 of 3

The Constructed Paintings are very much related to the 1972–73 press-formed plastic paintings that are like simple wooden boards, or construction materials. As Kauffman said in an interview: “…then I went into forming those pieces that were only seen in Paris: some bars, and there are some that are like boards….I just called them bars. They're sort of like boards. They're actually done over boards, put on sort of like the boards on a house around here. They had a more kind of local building-material quality to them.” 5

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971
Acrylic lacquer on press-formed plastic
121.9 × 243.8 × 5.1 cm
48 × 96 × 2 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971
Acrylic lacquer on press-formed plastic
121.9 × 243.8 × 5.1 cm
48 × 96 × 2 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971
Acrylic lacquer on press-formed plastic
121.9 × 243.8 × 5.1 cm
48 × 96 × 2 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1971

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman, installation view, Galerie Darthea Speyer, Paris, 1976

By 1973, he exhibited those bar paintings, in both horizontal and vertical formats, in a solo show at Galerie Darthea Speyer in Paris.6 His Paris shows concluded in 1976, with a large solo show of the constructed paintings at Galerie Darthea Speyer. The show included paintings that Kauffman worked on while he was living in Paris between 1975 and 1976.

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman, installation view, Galerie Darthea Speyer, Paris, 1976

By 1973, he exhibited those bar paintings, in both horizontal and vertical formats, in a solo show at Galerie Darthea Speyer in Paris.6 His Paris shows concluded in 1976, with a large solo show of the constructed paintings at Galerie Darthea Speyer. The show included paintings that Kauffman worked on while he was living in Paris between 1975 and 1976.

Travel had always been a huge source for Kauffman, especially direct contact with nature. Among the sources for imagery and color used in the Constructed Paintings were his trips to Baja California, where he saw rustic beach shanties, with colorful walls.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman and Tony DeLap camping in Baja California, 1972

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman and Tony DeLap camping in Baja California, 1972

Travel had always been a huge source for Kauffman, especially direct contact with nature. Among the sources for imagery and color used in the Constructed Paintings were his trips to Baja California, where he saw rustic beach shanties, with colorful walls.

“…I love colors in Mexico and Mexican buildings and all that stuff, and I really haven’t seen that much of Mexico…I have just been to Tijuana and Baja. And yet everybody sees my paintings, and they say, “God, it really reminds me of Mexican colors,” and so forth.” 7

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
San Falipe Mex., 1972
Ink and paint on paper
31.8 × 23.5 cm
12 1/2 × 9 1/4 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
San Falipe Mex., 1972
Ink and paint on paper
31.8 × 23.5 cm
12 1/2 × 9 1/4 inches

Craig Kauffman
San Falipe Mex., 1972
Ink and paint on paper
31.8 × 23.5 cm
12 1/2 × 9 1/4 inches

Details
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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–76
Ink on paper
27.9 × 35.6 cm
11 × 14 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1973–76
Ink on paper
27.9 × 35.6 cm
11 × 14 inches

Details
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He went to Baja California with his painter friend Tony DeLap, and the two soaked up the atmosphere as well as the rustic architecture. Kauffman was taken by the structures on the beach, as well as the sparse interiors of some of the houses, which seemed to him to be much more interesting than American minimalism. He also made note of the colors, clearly, whether those are the bright colors associated with the Mexican folk art, or the subtle faded colors that he used in a painting like Le Grille Mexicaine.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Le Grille Mexicaine, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
200 × 210.2 cm
78 3/4 × 82 3/4 inches
Courtesy Archives of American Art

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Le Grille Mexicaine, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
200 × 210.2 cm
78 3/4 × 82 3/4 inches
Courtesy Archives of American Art

Details
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He went to Baja California with his painter friend Tony DeLap, and the two soaked up the atmosphere as well as the rustic architecture. Kauffman was taken by the structures on the beach, as well as the sparse interiors of some of the houses, which seemed to him to be much more interesting than American minimalism. He also made note of the colors, clearly, whether those are the bright colors associated with the Mexican folk art, or the subtle faded colors that he used in a painting like Le Grille Mexicaine.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Shi Tzu, 1973–74
Acrylic on Styrofoam and muslin
246.4 × 224.8 cm
97 × 88 1/2 inches

More views

Kauffman had also traveled to Asia, where he saw Japanese teahouses, the small ceremonial structures, often attributed to individual tea masters. These are set within the grounds of Buddhist temple gardens, which are surrounded or guarded by walls and gates. Kauffman had an interest in the tea ceremony, since his early days at UCLA, when he and a friend developed affection for the revered Buddhist ceremony, with its attention to detail and presence. The role of the guardian is foretold by Kauffman’s title of the second work in the series, Shi Tzu.8 The Mandarin name "Shih Tzu" directly translates to "lion," an animal considered sacred in Buddhist religion.

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Shi Tzu, 1973–74
Acrylic on Styrofoam and muslin
246.4 × 224.8 cm
97 × 88 1/2 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Shi Tzu, 1973–74

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Kauffman had also traveled to Asia, where he saw Japanese teahouses, the small ceremonial structures, often attributed to individual tea masters. These are set within the grounds of Buddhist temple gardens, which are surrounded or guarded by walls and gates. Kauffman had an interest in the tea ceremony, since his early days at UCLA, when he and a friend developed affection for the revered Buddhist ceremony, with its attention to detail and presence. The role of the guardian is foretold by Kauffman’s title of the second work in the series, Shi Tzu.8 The Mandarin name "Shih Tzu" directly translates to "lion," an animal considered sacred in Buddhist religion.

But perhaps the most important destination for Kauffman had always been Paris. After receiving his Masters of Arts degree from UCLA in 1956, he moved immediately to New York City for three months. He then departed for six months in Europe, spending time in Paris, the south of France, and England. In Paris, he took French classes at the Alliance Française and met the American artists Sam Francis and Joan Mitchell.

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman at train station in France, 1976. Photo by Kathy Halbower

He had returned to Paris during a longer stay, from late 1959 through 1962, and lived on Rue Git Le Couer, next to the famed Beat Hotel. During this second trip, he met the abstract artists Helen Frankenthaler and Robert Motherwell, as well as Darthea Speyer, who would later become his dealer in the 1970s. She was instrumental in securing the studio that Kauffman used at Cite Des Arts during 1976, where a number of the Constructed Paintings were made.

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman at train station in France, 1976. Photo by Kathy Halbower

He had returned to Paris during a longer stay, from late 1959 through 1962, and lived on Rue Git Le Couer, next to the famed Beat Hotel. During this second trip, he met the abstract artists Helen Frankenthaler and Robert Motherwell, as well as Darthea Speyer, who would later become his dealer in the 1970s. She was instrumental in securing the studio that Kauffman used at Cite Des Arts during 1976, where a number of the Constructed Paintings were made.

As evidence of Kauffman’s love of French painting, one only needs to look at the titles of the paintings in this series: Cité Rouge, L'Indien, Les Primaires Selon Young, Toit Ouvrant, and Fenetre #1.

Fenetre #1
refers, perhaps, to a window in his Paris studio, but also to the origins of modernism in French painting. Matisse had often painted open windows, viewed from an interior. Kauffman also constructed the framework for Toit Ouvrant (which translates to “sunroof”) on the floor of that same Paris studio, incorporating elements of the larger paintings into a compact composition.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976
Acrylic on wood and muslin
132.1 × 101.6 cm
52 × 40 inches

More views
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Toit Ouvrant, 1976
Acrylic on wood and muslin
114 × 103.8 cm
44 7/8 × 40 7/8 inches

More views
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1975
Mixed media and collage on paper
55.9 × 76.2 cm
22 × 30 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976
Acrylic on wood and muslin
132.1 × 101.6 cm
52 × 40 inches

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976
Acrylic on wood and muslin
132.1 × 101.6 cm
52 × 40 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Fenetre #1, 1976

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Toit Ouvrant, 1976
Acrylic on wood and muslin
114 × 103.8 cm
44 7/8 × 40 7/8 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Toit Ouvrant, 1976

Craig Kauffman
Toit Ouvrant, 1976

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1975
Mixed media and collage on paper
55.9 × 76.2 cm
22 × 30 inches

Details
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As evidence of Kauffman’s love of French painting, one only needs to look at the titles of the paintings in this series: Cité Rouge, L'Indien, Les Primaires Selon Young, Toit Ouvrant, and Fenetre #1.

Fenetre #1
refers, perhaps, to a window in his Paris studio, but also to the origins of modernism in French painting. Matisse had often painted open windows, viewed from an interior. Kauffman also constructed the framework for Toit Ouvrant (which translates to “sunroof”) on the floor of that same Paris studio, incorporating elements of the larger paintings into a compact composition.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
241.3 × 355.6 cm
95 × 140 inches

More views
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Details
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
241.3 × 355.6 cm
95 × 140 inches

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
241.3 × 355.6 cm
95 × 140 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975

Craig Kauffman
Diptych, 1975

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Micha, Rene, "Letter de Paris" Art International 20, no. 10, December 1976

We know the singular fascination that Craig Kauffman had with plexiglass. Museums in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Pasadena have been important homes for Kauffman’s work (I remember a kind of orange-brown palisade stripped in the middle as if the sun reached through it). However, for the last year and a half, Kauffman has only used canvas and wood. His latest works, exhibited at the Galerie Darthea Speyer, are resolutely austere. They are windows of roofs, partly perforated, open to nothingness. Here and there wings, nascent and cropped, wayward flaps prolong moments while timidly and meekly floating in fragile space like a carnival canvas. The colors, in turn, have something modest about them: tossed about, already chipped, sometimes abolished. Off-white, yellow, pink, geranium. Arte Povera? Analytical art? Both, no doubt. Art arising from his instruments alone, a reflection as tenuous as possible of a fragmented world. –Translation of article to the left

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Micha, Rene, "Letter de Paris" Art International 20, no. 10, December 1976

We know the singular fascination that Craig Kauffman had with plexiglass. Museums in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Pasadena have been important homes for Kauffman’s work (I remember a kind of orange-brown palisade stripped in the middle as if the sun reached through it). However, for the last year and a half, Kauffman has only used canvas and wood. His latest works, exhibited at the Galerie Darthea Speyer, are resolutely austere. They are windows of roofs, partly perforated, open to nothingness. Here and there wings, nascent and cropped, wayward flaps prolong moments while timidly and meekly floating in fragile space like a carnival canvas. The colors, in turn, have something modest about them: tossed about, already chipped, sometimes abolished. Off-white, yellow, pink, geranium. Arte Povera? Analytical art? Both, no doubt. Art arising from his instruments alone, a reflection as tenuous as possible of a fragmented world. –Translation of article to the left

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

 

Looking closer at one example of the process and the materials, the work titled Wooster Orange was made in his New York studio in 1975. It is made from a framework of wooden members made of a strong, dimensionally stable and lightweight wood known as jelutong. The muslin fabric is stapled to the back of the wood, and paint is applied from the front and back of the muslin. Kauffman preferred the smooth surface and the permeability of the muslin, rather than the heaviness of cotton duck (canvas). Paint is applied by various unorthodox methods, including painting from the backside, applying paint with impressions from cardboard, and a type of smearing with rags.

 

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
246.4 × 200.7 cm
97 × 79 inches

More views
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1975
Mixed media and collage on paper
52.7 × 75.6 cm
20 3/4 × 29 3/4 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
246.4 × 200.7 cm
97 × 79 inches

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
246.4 × 200.7 cm
97 × 79 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975

Craig Kauffman
Wooster Orange, 1975

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1975
Mixed media and collage on paper
52.7 × 75.6 cm
20 3/4 × 29 3/4 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, 1975
Mixed media and collage on paper
52.7 × 75.6 cm
20 3/4 × 29 3/4 inches

Details
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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Ratcliff, Carter, "New York Letter" Art International, 20, no. 4, p. 53–54, May 1976

Regarding the structure, when questioned about the relationship of the linear wood and painted areas to the negative space of the Constructed Paintings, Kauffman simply stated that “the structure is the image, the beginnings of the image. And it’s self-supporting, and independently strong. That’s been a preoccupation of mine since the plastic pieces; those were all self-supporting.” 9

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Ratcliff, Carter, "New York Letter" Art International, 20, no. 4, p. 53–54, May 1976

Regarding the structure, when questioned about the relationship of the linear wood and painted areas to the negative space of the Constructed Paintings, Kauffman simply stated that “the structure is the image, the beginnings of the image. And it’s self-supporting, and independently strong. That’s been a preoccupation of mine since the plastic pieces; those were all self-supporting.” 9

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
248.9 × 386.1 cm
98 × 152 inches

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman, installation view, Robert Elkon Gallery, 1976. Courtesy Archives of American Art

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
248.9 × 386.1 cm
98 × 152 inches

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
248.9 × 386.1 cm
98 × 152 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975

Craig Kauffman
Double Section, 1975

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman, installation view, Robert Elkon Gallery, 1976. Courtesy Archives of American Art

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“Kauffman revived the original romance of being a painter. Plastics gave way to structures of wood resembling cockeyed traditional stretcher bars partly covered with muslin. Struts are painted with bright colors or false shadows.” –William Wilson, Los Angeles Times9

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
157.5 × 152.4 cm
62 × 60 inches

More views
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1975
Ink and graphite on paper
30.5 × 22.9 cm
12 × 9 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman, installation view, Robert Elkon Gallery, 1976. Courtesy Archives of American Art

Open spaces of the wall also are employed to activate the color and structure. This use of the negative space is something that Kauffman carried over from his extensive interest in the way that paintings interact with the wall, and how the viewer perceives the piece in relation to the environment.

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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
157.5 × 152.4 cm
62 × 60 inches

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
157.5 × 152.4 cm
62 × 60 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975 (detail)

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975

Craig Kauffman
Caroline's Rickets, 1975

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1975
Ink and graphite on paper
30.5 × 22.9 cm
12 × 9 inches

Craig Kauffman
Untitled, c. 1975
Ink and graphite on paper
30.5 × 22.9 cm
12 × 9 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman, installation view, Robert Elkon Gallery, 1976. Courtesy Archives of American Art

Craig Kauffman, installation view, Robert Elkon Gallery, 1976. Courtesy Archives of American Art

Details
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Open spaces of the wall also are employed to activate the color and structure. This use of the negative space is something that Kauffman carried over from his extensive interest in the way that paintings interact with the wall, and how the viewer perceives the piece in relation to the environment.

In Wooster Orange, as well as Caroline’s Rickets and Left Entrance, the artist also makes use of an unusual substructure to the side of the main painting. The right hand panel is a kind of “outrigger,” a smaller but related part of the artwork. In other examples like Left Entrance, the substructure is joined by diagonals, as if it were a building addition. It is through the integration of color, linear structure and shape that he achieved the architectural presence of his Constructed Paintings. The works reflect Kauffman’s life-long interest in unorthodox supports for painting, as well as a sensuous and luminous color sensibility.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Left Entrance, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
184.2 × 163.8 cm
72 1/2 × 64 1/2 inches

More views
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Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Left Entrance, 1975
Acrylic on wood and muslin
184.2 × 163.8 cm
72 1/2 × 64 1/2 inches

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Left Entrance, 1975

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Left Entrance, 1975

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London
Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

Craig Kauffman
Left Entrance, 1975

Details
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In Wooster Orange, as well as Caroline’s Rickets and Left Entrance, the artist also makes use of an unusual substructure to the side of the main painting. The right hand panel is a kind of “outrigger,” a smaller but related part of the artwork. In other examples like Left Entrance, the substructure is joined by diagonals, as if it were a building addition. It is through the integration of color, linear structure and shape that he achieved the architectural presence of his Constructed Paintings. The works reflect Kauffman’s life-long interest in unorthodox supports for painting, as well as a sensuous and luminous color sensibility.

Craig Kauffman – Constructed Paintings 1973–1976  – London

All installation views: Ben Westoby

 

Sources cited:
1. University of California, Los Angeles, Wight Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 
Transparency, Reflection, Light, Space: Four Artists, January 10–February 14, 1971 (exhibition catalogue).
2. Spark, Clare. Interview of Craig Kauffman – Co-Founder of the Peripatetic Artists Guild. KPFK: Los Angeles, broadcast February 8, 1971. In the transcription of interview, Kauffman states: “The piece at UCLA consists of water reflections on the wall. And, of course, the water in these plastic troughs on the floor and the mirrors, and these lights that frame the thing, and also the fans, which set up a kind of rhythm on the wall of the reflections.
3. According to his archives and journals Kauffman worked in three studios, 150 La Brea, Laguna Beach, 20E 17th St., New York, and Cité Internationale des Arts, 18 Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, Paris, France
4. Frank Gehry, speaking at Kauffman memorial, Museum of Contemporary Art, July 21, 2010
5. Auping, Michael, Los Angeles Art Community: Group Portrait. Craig Kauffman Interviewed by Michael Auping. Oral History Program, University of California, Los Angeles, 1976–1977.
6. Galerie Darthea Speyer, Paris, France, 
Craig Kauffman, March 6–April 6, 1973.Kauffman exhibited 7 of the 1972-3 works.
7. Auping, Michael, UCLA interview 1976, p. 56
8. Shi Tzu, 1973–74 Acrylic on Styrofoam and muslin, 97 x 88 ½ inches.
9.
Wilson, William. “A Heartfelt Showing of Kauffman.” Los Angeles Times, March 29, 1981, p. 81.
10. Auping, Michael,
Los Angeles Art Community: Group Portrait. Craig Kauffman Interviewed by Michael Auping. Oral History Program, University of California, Los Angeles, 1976–1977.