Fred Sandback

Fred Sandback used his love of nature to create Minimalist sculptures that highlighted space. He was a multifaceted Minimalist who allowed space to have as much importance in his sculptures as volume and mass.

Earlier in his career, he used metal and elastic cords. Later he began using acrylic yarn. The yarn allowed him to create sculptures with what he called "pedestrian space." He was able to focus on creating works that were stretched in space to address their surroundings.

Sandback's sculptures distorted the spaces they were in. He would stretch lengths of yarn horizontally, vertically, or diagonally at different scales and in varied configurations to create the distorted effect. His sculptures would look like they were leaning or like they were impossible to create with any tension or tools.

The subtlety of Sandback's choice of material allows the spaces between the lines to become as visible as the lines themselves. Sandback said, "The line is a whole, an identity, for a particular place and time." (artist website).