Primary Research Lab, Minimalist Labs and Field Research

Primary Research Lab is an exhibition project that incorporates talks, tours, research facilities, performances, films and events to frame situations for actively viewing the collection of Minimalist and Post-Minimalist art at Western Washington University. This nationally recognized collection was assembled largely through the visionary philanthropy of Virginia and Bagley Wright, who realized the import of bringing great examples of major artists work to Washington for study and enjoyment.Taking half of its title from the seminal Minimalist exhibition, Primary Structures, this project enlists this term to both reference the shared style of these works and a research oriented exhibition where you will encounter examples of Minimalist art first hand, experiencing them in the round. Minimalist art insisted on positioning itself physically in front of the viewer. The impact of this art came from artists anticipating the physical engagement of the viewer in relation to the artwork, formalizing an encounter in space. This physicality was specifically important to how their art was experienced by the viewer in relation to their own body, to their own being and experience. Organized to run through the summer months, it provides a platform to interact with these amazing, large scale works in the open air. The exhibition will also include a research center with documents, interviews, print material and other ephemera to provide exposure to these artists’ thoughts, discussions of their project and the physical forces that went into their constructions. Weekly tours, reading groups, and talks will be scheduled for this space to create a dynamic environment to engage with this survey.