Al Taylor: Wire Instruments and Pet Stains was the first American survey of work by Al Taylor (1948–1999), staged by the Santa Monica Museum in 2011. The exhibition features two major series in Taylor’s vast oeuvre: Wire Instruments (1989-1990) and Pet Stains (1989-1992). These distinctive bodies of work will illustrate the importance of Taylor’s process and creative breadth.

The drawings and constructions comprising Wire Instruments show Taylor experimenting with the simplest variations of geometric form (especially the triangle). The series Pet Stains features abstract imagery of drop-like puddles referencing patterns of dog urine on an urban sidewalk, formulated with toner, paint, or ink on paper. This concise publication features a commissioned essay by art historian and curator Connie Butler.