MINIMALISM

What you see is what you see.

Robert Smithson—Mirror Stratum, 1966

Dan Flavin—Untitled (for you, Leo, in long respect and affection) 3, 1978

Alan Sonfist—Earth Monument to Chicago, 1965-1977

Characteristics of Minimalism

Primarily sculpture Geometric forms Industrially produced Non-referential Materials appear as materials No distracting colors Gallery and viewer are part of the piece

Social and Political Background

Minimalism was a product of its time Mass-production Media Conflicts between capitalism and democracy

1960s—a time of radical upheaval and blurring of boundaries

“End” of Minimalism Art business Conservative backlash

Artistic Context

Minimalism is a reaction to abstract expressionism Rejected romantic exuberance and self-celebration

Pop Art expanded the art world Shared characteristics Popularized art

Reactions to Minimalism

“Recentness of Sculpture”—Clement Greenberg Minimalism was confusing innovation with novelty

“Novelty Art” has nothing to do with art

“Art and Objecthood”—Michael Fried Minimalism was challenging modernism

Frank Stella

Parallel Order Denied illusion Stripes

Frank Stella—The Marriage of Reason and Squalor, 1959

Frank Stella—Union I, 1966

Frank Stella—Darabjerd I, 1968

Donald Judd

"A shape, a volume, a color, a surface is something itself. It shouldn't be concealed as part of a fairly different whole." -Donald Judd

Donald Judd Continued

Space and Dimension Rectangular Plane Order Monochrome

Donald Judd—Untitled (Stack), 1967

Donald Judd—Untitled, 1966

Robert Morris

“Simplicity of shape does not necessarily equate with simplicity of experience.”-Robert Morris

Robert Morris Continued

Danced before becoming a sculptor Interested in process of production and perceiving

“Notes on Sculpture Parts 1 & 2” (1966) Sculpture as Gestalt

Focus on relationship between viewer, space, and sculpture, rather than relationships within a piece

Avoids projection of human nature onto art

Robert Morris—Green Gallery (Plywood Show), 1964

Robert Morris—Untitled (L-beams), 1965

Carl Andre

“My work is atheistic, materialistic, and communistic. It is atheistic because it is without transcendent form, without spiritual or intellectual quality. Materialistic because it is made out of its own materials without pretension to other materials. And communistic because the form is equally accessible to all men.”-Carl Andre

Carl Andre Continued

Used pre-fabricated materials Unconnected arrangement of individual elements within each piece

Limitation to relatively simple shapes

Sculpture as place Elements are indistinguishable from raw materials

Carl Andre—144 Magnesium Square, 1969

Carl Andre—Sphinges, 1985

Sol Lewitt

“The most interesting characteristic of the cube is that it is relatively uninteresting.”-Sol Lewitt

Sol Lewitt Continued

Geometrical progression through modular structures

Based on repetition, permutation, and serial formulas

Simplified past industrial material—focus on concepts and systems

Sol Lewitt—Open Modular Cube, 1966

Sol Lewitt—HRZL 1,1990

Dan Flavin

“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

Dan Flavin Continued

Limited materials to standard fluorescent light

Emphasis on physical space and light interaction

Has industrial qualities but is impermanent

Saw himself as a “maximalist”

Dan Flavin–“monument" 1 for V. Tatlin, 1964

Dan Flavin—Untitled (for Donna), 1971

Influence of Minimalism

Minimalism spurred paradigm shifts Art no longer had to be a unique object created by an artist

Reinvented sculpture Broadened definition and rules of art

Closed gap between high culture and mass culture