فير زملر غاليري Sfeir-Semler Gallery

Robert Barry

Robert Barry (b. 1936, New York, USA) lives and works in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. He is one of the prominent representatives of the American concept art. From the beginning his work makes a crucial contribution to the Conceptual Art in the late 60's. Instead of classical materials, he uses maps, photos, writing and language, with whose assistance the artistic ideas can be formulated. From strict linear rasters on canvas he makes his way to installations with wires and transparent nylon threads, which re-clamp a firmly outlined outside or interior. The aspect of the invisible becomes a part of his work. Read more

In the 70's Barry began to work with the medium of the language: he published several book projects and works with Dia installations, in which he shows language fragments on the wall, whose succession is interrupted by the use of empty slides. Barry started with his "word work", in which he defines and arranges the area by written words. Whether on canvas, on walls, on the floor, on glass areas of buildings or on mirrors, these isolated words suddenly contact the viewer, whose mental reaction completes the work.

1/5Robert Barry, Untitled, 1987, acrylic on canvas, 121 × 121 cm
Coming to an end, 2003, Video (color, sound, NTSC, Stereo), 23'
2/5Robert Barry, Coming to an end, 2003, Video (color, sound, NTSC, Stereo), 23'
3/5Robert Barry, Wallpiece – Multiple, 2006, 6 words, each 20 cm high on silver chrome vinyl film, Dimensions and placement of the words is variable and dependant on the size and shape of the wall
4/5Robert Barry, Incomplete, 2014, ink on wooden panels, diptych, 30 × 30 × 1.3 cm each
Exhibition view, works 1964–2024, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Hamburg, Germany, 2024
5/5Robert Barry, Exhibition view, works 1964–2024, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Hamburg, Germany, 2024

Selected Press

Gallery Exhibitions

Selected Exhibitions

2026

  • Robert Barry: Another Time, Alfonso Artiaco, Naples, Italy

2024

  • works 1964–2024, Sfeir-Semler Gallery,Hamburg, Germany

2019

  • Robert Barry Ivan Kožarić, Sfeir-Semler Gallery,Hamburg, Germany

2018

  • Art Basel Unlimited, Basel, Switzerland

2015

  • Gallery 3010, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon

  • Robert Barry. All the things I know...1962 to the present, 205 Hudson Street Gallery, New York, USA

2014

  • Robert Barry, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Hamburg, Germany

2013

  • Galerie Greta Meert, Brussels, Belgium

  • Le Consortium, Dijon, France

2012

  • Different Times, Different Works, Galleria Massimo, Minini, Brescia, Italy

2011

  • Silver Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf, Germany

  • Troublesome, Galleria Alfonso Artiaco, Neapel, Italy

  • Robert Barry: Recent Mirrorpieces, Sperone Westwater, New York, USA

2010

  • Robert Barry. Recent Works, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Hamburg, Germany

  • Words and Music, The Common Guild, Glasgow, Scotland

2009

  • RB 62-08, Yvon Lambert, New York, USA

  • Word Lists, Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Galerie Greta Meert, Brussels, Belgium

2008

  • Robert Barry, Ritter/Zamet Gallery, London, UK

  • It is, It isn’t live performance, Jan Mot, Brussels, Belgium

  • Works on Paper from the ‘70’s, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf, Germany 

2007

  • Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert, Inc., New York, USA

  • Galerie Greta Meert, Brussels, Belgium

  • Showcase Alfred Vandaele, Gent, Belgium

  • Galerie Alfonso Artiaco, Naples, Italy 

2006

  • Hadith: Conversations, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon

  • Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf, Germany 

2005

  • Galerie Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert, Inc. 524 West 19th Street New York, USA

  • Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Rainbow: A painting showSfeir-Semler Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon 

2004

  • Galerie Meert-Rihoux , Brussels, Belgium

  • A Minimal Future? 1958-1968 , MOCA, Los Angeles, USA

  • Galerie Sfeir-Semler, Hamburg, Germany

  • Aargauer Kunsthaus. Aarau, Switzerland

2003

  • Kunsthalle Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Germany

  • Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert , New York, USA  

2002

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf, Germany

2001

  • McKinsey & Company , Düsseldorf, Germany

  • Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert Gallery, New York, USA

  • Lehnbach Haus, Munich, Germany

  • Sfeir-Semler Gallery, Hamburg, Germany

1999

  • Holly Solomon Gallery, New York, USA

1998

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Galerie Sfeir-Semler, Hamburg, Germany

  • The Box, Turino, Italy  

1997

  • Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, USA

  • Galerie Meert-Rihoux, Brussels, Belgium

1995

  • Galerie Steinek, Vienna, Austria

  • Galerie Meert-Rihoux, Brussels

  • Galerie Klemens Gasser, Cologne, Germany

  • Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf, Germany  

1994

  • Robert Barry und Haim Steinbach, Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Holly Solomon Gallery, New York, USA

  • Art and Public, Geneva, Switzerland 

1992

  • Galerie Klemens Gasser, Bolzano, Italy

  • Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Düsseldorf, Germany

  • Art and Projekt, van Krimpen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 

1991

  • Galerie 57, Madrid, Spain

  • Galerie Pierre Huber, Geneva, Austria

  • Galerie Waßermann, Cologne, Germany

  • Galleria Ugo Ferranti, Rome, Italy 

1990

  • Centre National de Art Contemporain, Grenoble, France

  • Musèe Saint Piere, Art Contemporain, Lyon, France

  • Rene Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, USA

  • Haags Gementemuseum, Den Haag, Netherlands

  • Holly Solomon Gallery, New York, USA

  • Galerie Meert-Rihoux, Brussels, Belgium

1989

  • Holly Solomon Gallery, New York, USA

  • Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Thomas Solomon‘s Garage, Los Angeles, USA 

1988

  • Galerie Meert-Rihoux, Brussels, Belgium

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

1987

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Galleria Primo Piano, Rome, Italy

  • Julian Preto Gallery, New York, USA

1984

  • Robert Barry: Wall Pieces, Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Robert Barry and Peter Downsbrough, Le Consortium, Dijon, France

1983

  • Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Art and Projekt, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Galleria Francoise Lambert, Milano, Italy 

1982

  • Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany 

1981

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Art and Projekt, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • All the time, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

1980

  • Robert Barry Colour Drawings, Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Wallpiece, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

1979

  • Robert Barry: New Drawings, Galleria Francoise Lambert, Milano, Italy

  • Again and Again, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Galerie Rolf Preisig, Basel, Switzerland

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany 

1978

  • A Wall Drawing, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany

  • Museum of Conceptual Art, San Francisco, USA

  • Galerie MTL Brussels, Belgium

  • Robert Barry, 1968 - 1978 Drawings and Publikations, Museum Boulder, Colorado, USA 

1977

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Almost Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany

  • Unless Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich, Germany

1976

  • Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Galleria Gian Enzo Sperone, Rome, Italy

1975

  • Gian Enzo Sperone Gallery, New York, USA

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Barbara Cusack Gallery, Houston / Texas, USA 

1974

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Jack Wendler Gallery, London, United Kingdom

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Galerie MTL, Brussels, Belgium

  • Art and Projekt, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  • Kunstmuseum Luzern, Switzerland

  • Galerie Rolf Preisig, Basel, Switzerland

  • Galleria Sperone, Turino, Italy

  • Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  • Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, USA 

1973

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Galleria Sperone, Turino, Italy

  • Galleria Toselli, Milano, Italy

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Galleria Gian Enzo Sperone & Konrad Fischer, Rome, Italy

  • Jack Wendler Gallery, London, United Kingdom

  • Kabinett für Aktuelle Kunst, Bremerhaven, Germany

1972

  • Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Jack Wendler Gallery, London, United Kingdom

  • Galerie MTL, Brussels, Belgium

  • GalleriaToselli, Milano, Italy

  • Art and Projekt, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Tate Gallery, London, UK 

1971

  • Art and Projekt, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France

  • Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

  • Eugenia Butler Gallery, Los Angeles, USA 

1969

  • Seth Siegelaub, Los Angeles, USA

  • Art and Projekt, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Galleria Sperone, Torino, Italy 

1964

  • Westerly Gallery, New York, USA 

Public Collections