2. What is Minimalism?
ABC Art • Reductive Art • Literalism • Specific Objects
Systematic Painting • Rejective Art • Minimal Art
“As far as Minimalism
goes, I don’t think it
existed as an idea at all”
Sol LeWitt
3. Birth of Minimalism
Arose during the Vietnam War
Reaction against Abstract Expressionism
Rejects the colorful, vibrant, passionate, and
expressive
Composition VI
1913 Wassily
Kandinsky
7. Characteristics of
Minimalism
Form
Meaningless
Importance of the
environment
“Simplicity of shape
does not necessarily
equate with
simplicity of
experience”
Robert Morris
Untitled (in honor of Harold Joachim) 3 1977 Dan Flavin
8. Frank Stella
1936- Present
Sculptural paintings
Monochromatic
colors
Large canvases
Flat style
Stripes
Repetition
Emphasis on form “Art should be a
presentation, not an invitation”
Frank Stella
9. Frank Stella
BLACK PAINTINGS
Black house paint
Stripes are the width
of the paintbrush and
the stretcher bars
White areas are
exposed canvas
Conflicting title
Self-referential
Die Fahne Hoch! 1959
14. Donald Judd
1928-1994
Scale and detail
Space
Order
Installation process
Specific objects
“Actual space is intrinsically
more powerful and specific
than paint on a flat surface”
Donald Judd
24. Sol LeWitt
Influenced by Josef Albers, Jasper Johns, and
Samuel Beckett
He had an influence on Frank Stella, Eva Hesse,
Steve Reich, and Dan Flavin
25. Dan1933-1996
Flavin
Used light
Incandescent
fluorescent
Adaptable art
Repetition
Interacts with
architecture
"One might not think of light as a
matter of fact, but I do. And it is, as I
said, as plain and open and direct an
art as you will ever find.“
Dan Flavin
26. Dan Flavin
ICON SERIES
“Icon” refers to
Byzantine religious
pieces
Elements of painting
and sculpture
“My icons do not raise up the blessed
savior in elaborate cathedrals, they are
constructed concentrations celebrating
barren rooms. They bring limited light”
Dan Flavin
icon V (Coran’s Broadway Flesh) 1961
27. Dan Flavin
“Restricting his
materials was not a
limitation, but an
enabler; he
exploited subtle
differences and
found
depth, meaning, an
d beauty in what
others overlooked”
Lynn Matheny
Diagonal of May 25, 1963 (to Constantin Brancusi) 1963
33. Criticism
“Art is too simple”
“Art is too cold”
“There is nothing to
comment on”
“No skill”
“No talented
required”
34. End of Minimalism
Minimalism trapped itself; there are only so many
ways to simplify something
Artists began to move away from creating strict
Minimalist objects
Conceptual art took over as art could exist as
solely an idea
“Minimalism wasn’t a
real idea—it ended
before it started”
Sol LeWitt
35. Post-Minimalism
Collection of
reactions against
Minimalism
Maintained minimal
form
Included expressive
qualities
More relaxed
Eva Hesse
Ascension II 1968
No unifying materials, every artist used what he felt was the most appropriate and would make people confront the object.
Expressionism was questioned as it is impossible to capture human emotion with paint.
Abstract expressionism used thick globs of paint, which Stella avoided. This slide sums up his style as an artist.
Uses house paint to emphasize the flatness of the canvas, you only are aware of something’s presence if it is highlighted. Makes the object define itself
Stretcher bars, references itself. Makes you aware of it’s presence as an object as a whole.
Uses aluminum which is reflective so all of the art is on the surface. Cuts out chunks that are unpainted – beginning to create shaped canvases. Art was trapped in the traditional rectangular canvas.
Protrude out of the wall greatly which make them appear sculptural. Done in metallic purple paint which is reflective.
The piece looks cheap and references Broadway, he pokes fun at religion. He tells us not to take it seriously. Icons are depictions of the holy family and everything is symbolic, which is not found here. He is suggesting that how the original icons praised God, his art praises and fills empty rooms.
His first piece using only fluorescent lights. Like Duchamp he blurred the line between industrial object and art. He used only 10 factory made colors in 4 different lengths.
“Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily” which is exactly what Flavin does. By showing three clusters of light he implies that they continue infinitely without showing every piece. Light also has this effect as it spreads and fills spaces indefinitely.
Began to use what would traditionally be dead space in the gallery. He takes art off of the pedestal that most artists put their pieces on. He lets his art go in non-traditional spaces to illuminate areas that would typically not even be noticed.
Tatlin is a Russian artist who wanted to create a large iron tower, but it was never built. Flavin was highly interested in Tatlin’s desire to unite art and technology, which he also attempted to do. It’s also interesting to note that though it is the “monument” series the bulbs will eventually burn out.
These barrier-like pieces obstruct hallways and force the viewer to interact with the art as well as the architecture. They must find a way around the piece. Your eyes can go where your body can’t, he encourages perception of the light.
The lights themselves dictate the rate of diagonal. Self referential
Dialogue between the building and the site. Creates a richness of simplicity rather than emptiness. Quiz online: Judd or cheap furniture? You can see minimalist techniques in furniture
