birth
Paramaribo, Suriname, 1935
death
Amstedam, Netherlands, 2017
last update
01-04-2025
Born in Paramaribo in 1935, at the age of twenty-two stanley brouwn moved to Amsterdam, where he encountered the Zero movement, consisting of artists who sought anonymity and who left their works unsigned. This early influence helps to explain the direction taken by brouwn, who was to go on to explore the dematerialisation of art and the disappearance of the author. Following early attempts at making sculpture from iron and wood, he soon began to consider the role played in an artwork by the receiver, including early actions in which he dropped papers on the streets of Amsterdam and asked passers-by to draw their routes there. In the early 1960s, he developed some of his best-known works, which consisted of walks that were somehow recorded by the artist. He produced an extensive body of work that explored units of measurement, especially those that he invented based on various parts of his body, such as his foot, arm or hand. A dematerialised, conceptual, performative and peripatetic art, over which he maintained strict anonymity, withholding biographical information, limiting the circulation of his images and writing his name in lowercase letters.
His works were included in international exhibitions such as Documenta, Kassel (1972, 1977 and 2002) and the Venice Biennale of 1982. With multiple exhibitions in various cities in Europe and America, including major retrospectives at the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven and MACBA, Barcelona (2005).
His works were included in international exhibitions such as Documenta, Kassel (1972, 1977 and 2002) and the Venice Biennale of 1982. With multiple exhibitions in various cities in Europe and America, including major retrospectives at the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven and MACBA, Barcelona (2005).
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works
04 results
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forat d'una porta: (alçada i amplada de la portes del carrer del carme 62 a barcelona)
2005
stanley brouwn
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documents
27 results
My steps 12.12.2005 - 1.1.2006 / stanley brouwn
document
2014
Preussische Maasse und Gewichte : [anlässlich der Ausstellung stanley brouwn, Haubrokshows, Berlin 2012] / stanley brouwn [Text: Christian und Friedrich Noback]
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2013
stanley brouwn
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[2005]
durant l'exposició de stanley brouwn [...]
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2005
durant l'exposició de stanley brouwn [...]
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2005
durant l'exposició de stanley brouwn [...]
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2005
durant l'exposició de stanley brouwn [...]
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2005
portraits of spaces / stanley brouwn
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2001
an imaginary column of 30 feet on place Guillaume in Luxembourg / stanley brouwn
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2001
1x1 royal cubit / stanley brouwn
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1999
stanley brouwn : [material: iron pipe, lenght: 1 ell]
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1998
stanley brouwn : [material: iron pipe, lenght: 1 step]
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1998
stanley brouwn : [material: iron pipe, lenght: 1 foot]
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1997
stanley brouwn : 1 pied, 1/2 pied, 1/4 pied, 1/8 pied, 1/16 pied, 1/32 pied
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1995
stanley brouwn : 1 pied, 1/2 pied, 1/4 pied, 1/8 pied, 1/16 pied, 1/32 pied
document
1995
1 m x 1 m / stanley brouwn
document
1993
1 m x 1 m / stanley brouwn
document
1993
stanley brouwn : la biennale di Venezia 1982
document
1982
one distance / stanley brouwn
document
1981
1000 mm 879 mm / stanley brouwn
document
1978
stanley brouwn
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1977
stanley brouwn / [prepared by Coosje van Bruggen and R. H. Fuchs, with Margriet Suren]
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1976
stanley brouwn, "steps" : Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 18-3-1971-18-4-1971
document
1971
stanley brouwn : la paz
document
1970
100 this-way-brouwn-problems for computer I.B.M. 360 model 95 / stanley brouwn
document
[1970?]
x-tatwan / stanley brouwn
document
1970
This way brouwn
document
1969