Anish Kapoor – Unseen

A sweeping survey on the British Indian sculptor’s phenomenologically potent 40-year practice

Renowned British Indian artist Anish Kapoor is known for his monumental and spectacular installations that explore the tension between mass and emptiness, between what can be seen and what cannot. This is evident through his works that invite viewers to gaze into his “black holes”―the paradoxical manifestations of invisibility that fundamentally challenge the experience of spectators. He incorporates a wealth of unconventional materials to form these voids and protrusions: stretched or deflated PVC skins, concave or convex mirrors, recesses carved in stone.
This richly illustrated catalog delves into Kapoor’s work over the past 40 years, spotlighting select pieces emblematic of his wide-ranging practice. The volume includes extensive conversation between Kapoor and the director of ARKEN, Marie Nipper, providing ample insight into the artist’s vision for the exhibition. Three essays―by authors Mari Hvattum and Pireeni Sundaralingam and a collaborative text between anthropologists Mikkel Bille and Tom Flohr Sørensen―follow, connecting philosophical, poetic, physical and existential questions to Kapoor’s stimulating phenomenological works.
One of Britain’s most renowned contemporary artists, Anish Kapoor (born in 1954) lives and works in London and Venice. He is best known for his public sculptures, such as Cloud Gate (2006), that deftly maneuver between vastly different scales. His work is collected worldwide, notably by the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Tate Modern in London; and Fondazione Prada in Milan.