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Andrea Zittel was born in 1965 in Escondido, California; she lives and works in Joshua Tree, California.
Over the last 25 years, Andrea Zittel has developed an unparalleled practice that encompasses spaces, objects and modes of living in an ongoing investigation into what it means to exist and participate in our culture today. While nurturing a symbiosis of formal abstraction and function, Zittel explores core questions of “How to live?” and “What gives life meaning?” through an examination of social norms, values, hierarchies, as well as the creation of new systems and structures for living. Bodies of work, such as Wagon Stations, Living Units, Planar Pavilions, and Uniforms, suggest systems that can allow for liberation and creativity through prescribed sets of limitations rather than total freedom, and reshape how we think about our needs and articulated human constructs. Since 2000, Zittel continues to develop her life project A-Z West in the Southern Mojave Desert––an evolution from A-Z East––as well as High Desert Test Sites, as testing grounds for her work and investigations of day-to-day living. The over 50-acre grounds, as well as numerous satellite properties, are sites for experimentation, where environment, structure, and elements shape an intentional context for experience.


Her solo shows include: Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham (2018); Regen Projects, Los Angeles (2017); Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center, Palm Springs (2017 - 2015); Middelheim Museum (2015); The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead (2012); Magasin 3, Stockholm (2011); Schaulager, Basel (2008); MOCA, Los Angeles (2007); Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo (2007); New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (2006); Whitney Museum at American Art at Altria, New York (2006); Louisiana Museum, Denmark (1996); Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati (1996); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco (1995); San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego (1987).


Her group shows include: Museo Jumex, Mexico City (2017), Fondazione Prada, Milano (2017); SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe (2017); Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, Firenze (2016); Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Torino (2013, 2005, 2000, 1996); MOCA The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2010, 1996); The National Art Center, Tokyo (2007); Museum of Modern Art, New York (2002, 2001, 1997); Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (2000); P.S. 1, Contemporay Art Center, New York (1997); The Art Institute of Chicago (1995); New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (1994, 1993).


Her work was also exhibited in important and renewed venues such as the Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA (2004, 1995), Aperto ‘93: Emergency/Emergenza, 45. Biennale di Venezia, Venice, I (1993), 16th Istanbul Biennial, İstanbul (2019) and Documenta X, Kassel D (1997).

Andrea Zittel

STUDY FOR PLANAR PAVILIONS #2, 2019
Watercolor and gouache on paper
29.2 × 38.4 cm / 11 1/2 × 15 1/8 inches con cornice, 51 × 43 × 5 cm / framed, 20 × 17 × 2 inches

Andrea Zittel

STUDY FOR PLANAR PAVILIONS #1, 2019
Watercolor and gouache on paper
29.2 × 38.4 cm / 11 1/2 × 15 1/8 inches con cornice, 43 × 51 × 5 cm / framed, 17 × 20 × 2 inches

Andrea Zittel

A-Z AGGREGATED STACKS #19, 2015
Cardboard, plaster gauze
117.5 × 183.5 × 39.4 cm / 46 1/4 × 72 1/4 × 15 1/2 inches

Andrea Zittel

A-Z AGGREGATED STACKS #30, 2015
Cardboard, plaster gauze
78.7 × 248.9 × 61 cm / 31 × 98 × 24 inches

Andrea Zittel

TO LIVE ALONE OR TOGETHER?, 2013
Polyacrylic on marine grade plywood panel with steel frame
114.3 × 236.2 × 5.4 cm / 45 × 93 × 2 1/8 inches

Andrea Zittel

TO ACQUIRE POSSESSIONS OR TO LIVE FREE OF ENCUMBRANCES?, 2013
Polyacrylic on marine grade plywood panel with steel frame
183.5 × 368.3 × 5.4 cm / 72.25 × 145 × 2 1/8 inches

Andrea Zittel

HOW TO LIVE?, 2013
Polyacrylic on marine grade plywood panel with steel frame
236.9 × 457.2 × 5.4 cm / 93 1/8 × 180 × 2 1/8 inches

Andrea Zittel

TO CREATE STRUCTURE AND ORDER OR TO LIVE IN A FLUID STATE OF FLUX?, 2013
Polyacrylic on marine grade plywood panel with steel frame
236.9 × 457.2 × 5.4 cm / 93 1/8 × 180 × 2 1/8 inches

Andrea Zittel

STUDY FOR A-Z COVER SERIES 2: SUBJECTIVE COMPOSITION (GOLD AND BLUE GEOMETRIC), 2012
Gouache su carta
30.5 × 22.9 cm / 12 × 9 inches 36.2 x 28.6 x 4.4 cm con cornice / 14 1/4 x 11 1/4 x 1 3/4 inches framed

Andrea Zittel

STUDY FOR A-Z PERSONAL PANELS (VARIEGATED WHITE AND BLACK DRESS #3), 2012
Watercolor on paper
43.2 × 23.5 cm / 17 × 9 1/4 inches 48.9 x 28.6 x 4.4 cm con cornice / 19 1/4 x 11 1/4 x 1 3/4 inches framed

Andrea Zittel

STUDY FOR A-Z PERSONAL PANELS (WIDE VARIEGATED WHITE AND BLACK TOP), 2012
Watercolor on paper
22.9 × 43.2 cm / 9 × 17 inches 28.6 x 48.9 x 4.4 cm con cornice / 11 1/4 x 19 1/4 x 1 3/4 inches framed

Andrea Zittel

A-Z CARPET FURNITURE: CABIN, 2012
Nylon carpet
365.8 × 487.7 cm / 144 × 192 inches

Andrea Zittel

A-Z PERSONAL PANELS (SMALL GREY AND BLACK TOP), 2012
Linen
48.3 × 57.2 cm / 19 × 22 1/2 inches

Andrea Zittel

PATRICK AND LANI COVER SHAPE, 2012
Gouache su carta
24.1 × 17.9 cm / 9 1/2 × 11 inches 28.6 x 36.2 x 4.4 cm con cornice / 11 1/4 x 14 1/4 x 1 3/4 inches framed

Andrea Zittel

A-Z COVER SERIES 2: SUBJECTIVE COMPOSITION (RUST AND GOLD GEOMETRIC), 2012
Wool
131.4 × 188 cm / 51 3/4 × 74 inches

Andrea Zittel

A-Z PERSONAL PANELS (WIDE RUST AND BLACK TOP), 2012
Linen
49.5 × 108.6 cm / 19 1/2 × 42 3/4 inches

Andrea Zittel

A-Z COVER SERIES 2: SUBJECTIVE COMPOSITION (RUST AND GOLD GEOMETRIC), 2012
Wool
185.4 × 127 cm / 73 × 50 inches

Andrea Zittel

A-Z CARPET FURNITURE: LIVING ROOM, 2008
Nylon carpet
304.8 × 457.2 cm / 120 × 180 inches

Andrea Zittel

RAUGH FURNITURE; WOODY-, 2007
Laminated fir wood, plaster boxes,carpet, three felted boxes, wooden objects-
175 × 228 × 72 cm / 69 × 90 × 28 inches

Andrea Zittel

RAUGH FURNITURE; CONSUMPTION AND EXPULSION, ARTIFACTS FROM DAVID'S BACK YARD, JOSHUA TREE CALIFORNIA, 2007
Aluminium, laminated fir wood, carpet, felted bowl, objects, matted wool
183 × 368 cm / 72 × 145 inches

Andrea Zittel

TESTING/TESTING, 2006
Gouache on paper
22.5 × 30 cm / 88 55/64 × 11 13/16 inches Dittico. Con cornice 33 x 40,5 x 4 cm

Andrea Zittel

PROTOTYPE FOR BILLBOARD AT A-Z WEST: RADIATING ARENAS OF ENHANCEMENT #3, 2006
Vinyl lettering and tempera on fir wood
116 × 182 cm / 46 × 71 21/32 inches Con cornice 120 x 186 x 5 cm

Andrea Zittel

TAMARISKS AT A-Z WEST, 2006
Gouache on paper
22.5 × 30.5 cm / 8 7/8 × 12 inches Con cornice 33 x 40,5 x 4 cm

Andrea Zittel

THREE SKIRTS MADE FROM RECTANGLES, SEPTEMBER 2004, 2004
Gouache on paper
22.8 × 30.4 cm / 9 × 12 inches

Andrea Zittel

A-Z SUBURBAN ISLANDS IV, 2001
Gouache on paper
78.7 × 78.7 cm / 31 × 31 inches 102.6 x 102.2 x 5.1 cm / 40 3/8 x 40 1/4 x 2 inches framed

Andrea Zittel

A-Z DISHLESS DINING TERRAIN, 2001
Steel, wood, fitted carpet, fabric, dehydrated food
230 × 100 × 35 cm / 90 35/64 × 39 3/8 × 13 25/32 inches 230 x 100 x 35 cm (struttura), 360 x 240 cm (moquette)

Andrea Zittel

RULES OF RAUGH, 1999
Gouache on paper
72.4 × 101.5 cm / 28 × 40 inches