In 1966, when Kuehn first exhibited his group of works entitled ‘Melt Pieces’ at the legendary Bianchini Gallery in New York, he wrote in his sketchbook: ‘Butter in the sun.

What could be more fatal?’ This brief reflection expresses one of his fundamental principles: the processual nature of art. In his early work, Kuehn rebelled against the authority of rigid, stable form as represented by the then-dominant Minimal Art: the ideal cuboids seem to have melted like ice cubes or butter. Physical processes, often associated with external forces, transform intact geometric forms, with Kuehn experimenting with different materials (tar, fibreglass, latex, metal, wood) and an incredible range of design possibilities. Deformations and changes become visible while the basic form remains untouched, creating a narrative and metaphorical moment. The main factor here is the tension between opposites – strength and weakness, rigidity and flexibility, hardness and softness, solid and fluid states collide and raise one of the fundamental themes of human existence: the question of limitation and freedom. In 2000, Gary Kuehn noted that his work lies ‘somewhere between sex and geometry’.

The book, which was created in close collaboration with the artist, provides an insight into his diverse sculptural, painterly and graphic work spanning five decades, with a focus on the 1960s. A central theme of both the book and the exhibition is the close connection between painting and sculpture in Kuehn's work. In addition to insightful accompanying texts, it is above all the richly illustrated exhibition chronology, which includes interviews and texts by the artist, that makes this book indispensable.