Western Mandala 1980

Robert Filliou made this ‘Western Mandala’ out of simple materials that he found around him. There’s a real DIY spirit to this piece. I guess you could call it post-minimal, in that it takes the reduced geometric forms of minimalism and combines them with a kind of everyday imperfection. Look at the way the electrical cord snakes across the floor, connecting these disparate elements. It’s kind of funny and awkward, like a forced connection. The colors are earthy and subdued, mostly reds and browns. Each of these blocks have a different texture, a different weight. The word ‘nuit’, or ‘night’ painted on one of them gives it a bit of a playful, poetic vibe. It’s a bit like Arte Povera, or some of the sculptural arrangements of Franz Erhard Walther. Ultimately, Filliou invites us to reconsider the value we place on objects. He seems to be asking, ‘what makes something art, and what makes something junk?'