James Lee Byars
1932–1997
Introduction
James Lee Byars (April 10, 1932, Detroit, Michigan – May 23, 1997, Cairo, Egypt) was an American conceptual artist and performance artist specializing in installations and sculptures, as well as a self-considered mystic. He was best known for his use of personal esoteric motifs, and his creative persona that has been described as 'half dandified trickster and half minimalist seer'.
Byars' notable performance works include The Death of James Lee Byars and The Perfect Smile, and in terms of multiple sculptures, the many letters he wrote that were composed as decorated sculptures.
Wikidata identifier
Q882861
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Accessed May 2, 2024.
Country of birth
United States
Roles
Artist, conceptual artist, installation artist, performance artist, photographer, sculptor
ULAN identifier
500089748
Names
James Lee Byars, James Lee Byers
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed May 2, 2024.
