Carl Andre

Carl Andre was a pivotal figure in minimalism, garnering widespread acclaim for his grid-based floor sculptures, outdoor public installations, and contributions to concrete poetry.

Biography of Carl Andre

Carl Andre was born in 1935 in Quincy, Massachusetts. He completed his primary and secondary education within the Quincy public school system before pursuing art studies at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, from 1951 to 1953. There he forged a friendship with Hollis Frampton, whose influence on Andre's innovative sculptural approach was profound.

After serving in the U.S. Army in North Carolina from 1955 to 1956, Andre relocated to New York City in 1956. There, Frampton introduced Andre to Constantin Brâncuși, facilitating a reunion with former Phillips Academy classmate Frank Stella. From 1958 to 1960, Andre and Stella shared studio space, nurturing each other's artistic development.

In 1965, Andre showcased his work publicly for the first time at the Tibor de Nagy Gallery. In 1969, Andre played a key role in organizing the Art Workers Coalition. In 1970, he held a solo exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Andre's first two marriages ended in divorce. In 1979, he met his third wife, artist Ana Mendieta, and they married in January 1985. Tragically, Mendieta fell from their 34th-story apartment window in September 1985 and died. Neighbors reported hearing an argument before the tragedy. In a 1988 bench trial, Andre was acquitted of a second-degree murder charge, sparking outrage among feminists in the art world. Supporters of Mendieta have staged protests at his subsequent exhibitions.

Carl Andre died in 2024.