Words

Carl Andre, best known as a sculptor, was also a prolific writer. He, furthermore, identified himself as a poet above all else. Words, formed over a period of fourteen years, contains over 600 pages of hand- or typewritten poetry. The work is not compiled in a book. Andre approached letters and words as building blocks and he felt that a piece of wood or a word differed very little. Each can be viewed as an element used to construct an artwork. He wrote, “Words have palpable tactile qualities that we feel when we speak them, when we write them, or when we hear them, and that is the real subject of my poetry.” He frequently repeats words and letters, thus evoking the seriality found in Minimal art. His sources of inspiration include characters and events from American history as well as eminent writers and artists.