Unframed #3 2008

Pedro Cabrita Reis’s ‘Unframed #3’ is a sculpture made from steel, glass, and fluorescent lights. Its institutional setting here in the Tate Modern is part of the work’s meaning. This piece exemplifies a shift in art's public role, particularly from the late 20th century onwards. The use of industrial materials speaks to the changing social conditions of artistic production, where the boundaries between art and the everyday blur. The title itself, ‘Unframed,’ raises questions about art's traditional frames and contexts. Made in Portugal, this work invites us to consider the socio-political landscape of its origin, although Reis has always denied his work has any political message. It reflects a self-conscious move towards a more progressive art world, one that critiques the conventional institutions of art by challenging our expectations of what art should be. To truly understand this piece, one could explore the history of minimalist sculpture, alongside the changing attitudes towards industrialization and its impact on cultural identity. Art is contingent on its social and institutional context.