American Sculptor: Dan Flavin

Dan Flavin was an American Sculptor who worked on a series of minimalistic installations of pre manufactured light fixtures. His work which began in the 1960’s used predetermined space in which his light interacted. Using brightly fluorescent colors Dan Flavin and geometric forms he set out to create a three dimensional interaction between the viewer, area, and the installation itself. This focus on light, color, and physical surroundings placed him among other minimalist of the time. Although the artist himself claimed that his work had no deep symbolic meaning, message, of any hidden agenda stating “It is what it is and it ain’t nothing else” many of his works give off the impression that there’s more to the concept than we’re led on. Concepts of light as a religious aesthetic are present in his work such as those found in stained glass. Either way his work gives off a certain unique aesthetic of which shows the combination of colors, light, and their reaction with certain architectural settings.
Some of his important works include The Diagonal, Icon V, Monument 1 for V Tatlin,, and Greens crossings greens.
The Diagonal is a yellow diagonally tilted light that emits a kind of halo around itself and reflexes with the ground bellow. Icon V is a red painted wooden square with candle light lights surrounding its frame. These lights give the work a more organic look and the style of lights emote a kind of reference to Broadway. The Monument is a of white light fixtures forming what appears to be the silhouette of buildings. Green crossing green is pretty much what the title is describing. It is two paths of green lights intersecting at a certain point but enveloping its room in green and
shadows.
Although some may argue that Dan Flavin’s work may or may not be a work of art but his aesthetic vision is one which leaves a legacy.