, 2008. Fibreglass stone and airplane. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased 2011. Photo © Roman März](/images/content/menuSeeGallery.png)
Benjamin West
The Death of General Wolfe (Detail), 1770
oil on canvas
152.6 x 214.5 cm
Transfer from the Canadian War Memorials, 1921 (Gift of the 2nd Duke of Westminster, England, 1918)
National Gallery of Canada (no. 8007)
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the nominal three (to William of Ockham), 1963
Dan Flavin
American, 1933
- 1996
cool white fluorescent light
fluorescent bars: 243.8 cm installed vertically
Purchased 1969
National Gallery of Canada (no. 15811)
© Estate of Dan Flavin / ARS (New York) / SODRAC (Montréal)
In his title, Flavin pays tribute to William of Ockham, a 14th-century English philosopher who argued that reality exists solely in individual things, while universals are merely abstract ideas. The philosophical principle still known as "Ockham's Razor" is based upon his original maxim: "It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer". In this installation, Flavin reinforces Ockham's proposition by using only the minimum number of ordinary fluorescent fixtures needed to establish a series, that is (1) (1+1) (1+1+1), and create a sufficient play of light and shadows on the wall behind and in the surrounding space.
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untitled (in honour of Leo at the 30th anniversary of his gallery)
of March 17, 1964 in cool white
icon IV (the pure land) (to David John Flavin 1933-1962)
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