The American minimalist artist Carl Andre is perhaps best known for his sculptures made from square metal plates placed in grid-like formations lying flat on the surface of the ground. Yet over the course of five decades, Andre has created an immense body of work. Andre’s vision lies in his commitment to seeing things as elements: as separable self-contained units.

“Any task can be accomplished if you divide it up into units of work small enough,” Andre told Phaidon in an exclusive audio interview.