Plank Piece I-II

In Plank Piece I–II, two photographs capture Charles Ray hanging in the air, draped over a plank of wood that leans against a wall. The work references minimalist sculpture; the exposed unfinished plywood is reminiscent of the industrial materials used by Carl Andre and Richard Serra and the slanted board recalls artist John McCracken’s “planks” of the 1960s. By including his body as an element within the work, Ray approaches sculpture not as a static object but as an activity. The work is humorous and disarming, yet also decidedly devoted to sculptural principles. Ray studies the forces of weight, gravity, and the intrinsic ability of the plank to support his mass without breaking.