Waxing Arcs

Richard Serra (in 1980, uitvoering tweede versie 1999)

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Julie Gorter asked

Hi! I have a question about Richard Serra's 'Waxing Arcs'. Since the artwork was specially created for the Boijmans van Beuningen and a particular space in the museum I was wondering if the artwork will be displayed in the depot? And will the 'Waxing Arcs' still be in the same space in the renovated museum? How does the museum go about these site-specific artworks during the current renovation?
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Dear Julie, Thank you for your question that shows that you are understanding the difficulties around site-specific works like the Waxing Arcs. The work was made for the museum's so called Bodon wing, but was re-situated after the addition of the Robbrecht & Daem wing in the 1990's. In 2014 the museum presented a multimedia installation about Waxing Arcs and its changing appearances that might be of interest to you. There's information on the internet. For now: the work does not fit in the depot, and will in due time be placed in the renovated museum again. I hope this information is useful. All the best, Els
Rob asked

The NYMOMA catalog for Serra's retrospective in 2008 lists Waxing Arcs as "hot-rolled steel," and other works as "weatherproof steel," ie, Cor-Ten. Is Waxing Arcs Cor-Ten or hot-rolled (or both)? Is the NYMOMA catlog inaccurate? Thanks so much. Rob
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Dear Rob,
Waxing Arcs is made of corten steel, (possibly hot rolled corten steel). The work currently on display is a second version, but according to our curator of modern art Francesco Stocchi it is not likely that the material has changed from the first to the second version.
Kind regards,
Jephta

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The monumental work 'Waxing Arcs' was created specially for this space in 1980 by the American Minimalist artist Richard Serra. The freestanding steel walls are identical in form and length. This does not initially appear to be the case because one arc encloses a corner, whilst the other cuts into the space.

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Specifications

Title	Waxing Arcs
Material and technique	Corten-steel
Object type	Sculpture > Three-dimensional object > Art object

Dimensions	Height 360 cm Width 1335 cm Depth 3 cm
Artists	Kunstenaar: Richard Serra
Accession number	BEK 1577 a-b (MK)
Credits	Aankoop / Purchase: Stichting Fonds Willem van Rede 1980
Department	Modern Art
Acquisition date	1980
Age artist	About 41 years old
Collector	Collector / W. van Rede
Research	Digitising Contemporary Art
Material	Steel > Steel alloy > Iron > Common metal > Metal > Inorganic material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Sculpture > Three-dimensional object > Art object
Geographical origin	The United States of America > North America > America

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Entry catalogus Digitising Contemporary Art

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All about the artist

Richard Serra

San Francisco 1938

Richard Serra started his career as sculptor with works in rubber and neon, molten lead sculptures, film and video. Since 1970 he has produced large geometric...

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