minimalism 4th hour
TRANSCRIPT
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