Sebastian + Barquet and Carl Solway Gallery present an exhibition of sculpture and prints by Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983), one of the most important American visionaries of the 20th century. Fuller's theories and inventions span the fields of architecture, visual design, product design, literature, mathematics, molecular biology and environmental science. Best known for inventing the geodesic dome, Fuller's visual art is an integral part of his comprehensive, cross-disciplinary, utopian vision.

The six sculptures in the exhibition - The Closest Packing of Spheres, Complex of Jitterbugs, Ninety Strut Tensegrity, Six Part Push/Pull Tensegrity, Twelve Degrees of Freedom, and Duo-Tet Star Polyhedra - incorporate many of the same basic geometric principles as Buckminster Fuller's geodesic architectural structures. Inventions: Twelve Around One, a portfolio of screen prints, presents the patent drawings for his most famous inventions as transparent overlays for photographs of his realized concepts. Also included in the exhibition are rare signed mimeograph proof prints of the illustrations for his 1928 book, 4D Time Lock, depicting such futuristic visions as modular high rise buildings being delivered to remote locations by dirigibles.

The word Dymaxion combines three of Fuller's favorite terms: dynamic, maximum and tension. He applied it widely to a number of his inventions including the Dymaxion Air-Ocean World Map. His map received a patent for displaying the world's geographical data on one surface without distorting the relative shapes and sizes and without any breaks in any of the continental contours. This map is presented as a unique six feet by twelve feet silkscreen print on canvas and as a 50 inch x 72 inch edition on paper. During his lifetime, Fuller lectured tirelessly. Excerpts from 42 hours of his audiotapes, titled Everything I Know, will provide ambient sound for the exhibition.

This exhibition at Sebastian + Barquet is concurrent with the major retrospective, Buckminster Fuller: Starting with the Universe, on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art from June 26 - September 21, 2008.

Sebastian + Barquet Gallery