Dan Flavin (1933 - 1996)
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Dan Flavin, born in Jamaica, New York, was known for his sculptural objects and installations made from commercially available fluorescent light fixtures. After studying for the priesthood at the Immaculate Conception Preparatory Seminary in Brooklyn, Flavin enlisted in the United States Air Force. During his military service, from 1954 to 1955, Flavin was able to study art through the adult extension program of the University of Maryland in Korea. In 1956, he attended the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts and also studied under Albert Urban. After studying art history at the New School for Social Research, Flavin transferred to Columbia University, where he studied painting and drawing.
Flavin's early drawings and paintings depict the influence of Abstract Expressionists. By 1959, he was making mixed media collage out of found objects and, in 1961, he started making sketches for sculptures that incorporated electric lights. His first electric light series is his famous Icons series. It is said that Flavin's first mature work is his Diagonal of Personal Ecstasy (the Diagonal of May 25, 1963), which exclusively used commercially available fluorescent light that utilized a limited palette. Flavin has shown work at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Hayward Gallery, amongst many others.
Flavin's early drawings and paintings depict the influence of Abstract Expressionists. By 1959, he was making mixed media collage out of found objects and, in 1961, he started making sketches for sculptures that incorporated electric lights. His first electric light series is his famous Icons series. It is said that Flavin's first mature work is his Diagonal of Personal Ecstasy (the Diagonal of May 25, 1963), which exclusively used commercially available fluorescent light that utilized a limited palette. Flavin has shown work at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Hayward Gallery, amongst many others.