Conceptualism and Minimalism
Reading Visual Culture
Assignment Three: Essay
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Caitlin Williams Conceptualism and minimalism share common aesthetic qualities with the ontological condition of late modernist art. Discuss the aesthetic commonalities of minimalism and conceptualism. Also, discuss to what extent these stylistic tendencies are manifestly and intentionally different? Provide details of underlying reasons for the emergence of minimalism and conceptualism into mainstream art practice? Your answer should include a critical selection of works from these oeuvres.
Late modernist art brought upon an ontological condition that developed out of a history of new conditions in thought and processes, and the results are seen in both conceptualism and minimalism. Through a discussion on both the aesthetic qualities and stylistic tendencies of these art forms as well as the reasons of emergence, their historical importance in mainstream art will be construed. Although aspects of both minimalism and conceptualism can be seen in their preceding periods, this essay will focus on the works of artists that best exemplify such movements within the 1960s to 1970s. Minimal art attempted to fulfill the demand for art that would be entirely void of pictorial representational qualities and their significations. Robert Ryman shares a common Minimalist idea in saying “I was never so concerned with subject matter... I guess you could say I rejected any of the picture making, storytelling approach.” Minimalism developed out of small groups of artists within New York in the mid-1960s, extending to Los Angeles and further. Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Robert Morris, Sol LeWitt, Frank Stella, Carl Andre and Robert Ryman best exemplify qualities of Minimalism in their work. Here was a generation of artists that were passionate in attempting to create a
Assignment Three: Essay
-------------------------------------------------
Caitlin Williams Conceptualism and minimalism share common aesthetic qualities with the ontological condition of late modernist art. Discuss the aesthetic commonalities of minimalism and conceptualism. Also, discuss to what extent these stylistic tendencies are manifestly and intentionally different? Provide details of underlying reasons for the emergence of minimalism and conceptualism into mainstream art practice? Your answer should include a critical selection of works from these oeuvres.
Late modernist art brought upon an ontological condition that developed out of a history of new conditions in thought and processes, and the results are seen in both conceptualism and minimalism. Through a discussion on both the aesthetic qualities and stylistic tendencies of these art forms as well as the reasons of emergence, their historical importance in mainstream art will be construed. Although aspects of both minimalism and conceptualism can be seen in their preceding periods, this essay will focus on the works of artists that best exemplify such movements within the 1960s to 1970s. Minimal art attempted to fulfill the demand for art that would be entirely void of pictorial representational qualities and their significations. Robert Ryman shares a common Minimalist idea in saying “I was never so concerned with subject matter... I guess you could say I rejected any of the picture making, storytelling approach.” Minimalism developed out of small groups of artists within New York in the mid-1960s, extending to Los Angeles and further. Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Robert Morris, Sol LeWitt, Frank Stella, Carl Andre and Robert Ryman best exemplify qualities of Minimalism in their work. Here was a generation of artists that were passionate in attempting to create a
Bibliography: Asst Prof J. Meyer. 2004. Minimalism: Art and Polemics in the Sixties. Yale University Press. P 144 B C. Lancher. Robert Rauschenberg. 2009. San Fransisco: The Museum of Modern Art. P 30 D E. Lucie-Smith. 1976. Late Modern. New York: Praeger Publishers. P 261 G What is Minimalism? The American Perspective 1958-1968. 2006. Michael Blackwood Productions. Insight Media: New York ------------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. What is Minimalism? The American Perspective 1958-1968. 2006. Michael Blackwood Productions. Insight Media: New York [ 2 ] [ 3 ]. Battcock, Gregory , ed. Minimal Art: A Critical Anthology. 2d ed. Berkeley, 1995. [ 4 ]. Lucie-Smith, Edward. 1976. Late Modern. New York: Praeger Publishers. P 261 [ 5 ] [ 6 ]. What is Minimalism? The American Perspective 1958-1968. 2006. Michael Blackwood Productions. Insight Media: New York [ 7 ] [ 8 ]. Meyer, Asst Prof James. 2004. Minimalism: Art and Polemics in the Sixties. Yale University Press. P 144 [ 9 ] [ 10 ]. What is Minimalism? The American Perspective 1958-1968. 2006. Michael Blackwood Productions. Insight Media: New York [ 11 ] [ 12 ]. Unknown Author, Conceptual Art. 2010http://www.moma.org/collection/theme.php?theme_id=10065. Accessed 19 October 2012 [ 13 ] [ 14 ]. Unknown Author, Conceptual Art. 2010http://www.moma.org/collection/theme.php?theme_id=10065. Accessed 19 October 2012 [ 15 ] [ 16 ]. Lancher, Carolyn. Robert Rauschenberg. 2009. San Fransisco: The Museum of Modern Art. P 30 [ 17 ]