Monument for V. Tatlin
This work belongs to Dan Flavin's celebrated Monument for V. Tatlin series, first conceived in 1964 as a homage to Russian Constructivist Vladimir Tatlin and his unrealized Monument to the Third International. The sculpture is composed of cool and warm white fluorescent tubes arranged vertically in a stepped, tiered formation and positioned in the corner of a room, creating a luminous column of light that radiates dramatically onto surrounding walls and floor. Flavin's use of commercially available industrial lighting transforms everyday materials into a rigorous Minimalist artwork in which light itself is the primary subject. The piece exemplifies Flavin's lasting influence on Minimalism and Conceptual art, and examples from this series are held in major museum collections worldwide.
Spotted works by Dan Flavin
Artists in conversation
James Turrell
American · b. 1943
Turrell similarly uses light itself as the primary sculptural medium to create immersive architectural experiences, transforming gallery spaces through carefully controlled luminous fields that blur physical boundaries just as Flavin's fluorescent tubes radiate onto surrounding walls and floors.
Robert Irwin
American · b. 1928
Irwin shares Flavin's commitment to dematerialized, light based Minimalist installation that activates and transforms architectural space, using commercially available materials and geometric arrangements to produce luminous, near monochrome environments that challenge perception.
Gyula Kosice
Argentine · b. 1924
Kosice was a pioneering Constructivist who incorporated neon and artificial light into geometric sculptural structures during the same mid 20th century period, sharing Flavin's interest in luminous vertical forms rooted in the utopian industrial legacy of Russian Constructivism.
Start the Discussion
Request access to join the discussion