|
Frank Stella,
Die Fahne Hoch, 1959
|
The Minimalist style of art arose in America, primarily in the 60s and 70s,
although its roots can be traced back to the 1950s. Artists have been experimenting
with theories of minimalism since the 18th Century, if not before, but it never
became a full-fledged movement until the 20th Century.
Minimalism is a style of art in which objects are reduced to their elemental,
geometric form, and presented in an impersonal manner. The artwork is free
of any decorative elements, is monochromatic and is often based on grids or
linear matrices. It is an abstract form of art, which was reactionary against
the subjective elements of Abstract Expressionism. The Minimalists sought to
remove any form of personal expression from their artwork. Not only is the
work purged of any thematic references, but it also does not represent anything
other than itself. The artwork becomes the object to view. The viewer can experience
the work to it’s full potential without thematic distractions. Minimal
art takes abstraction to the extreme.
Frank Stella (1936 b.), Dan Flavin (1933 – 1996),
Carl Andre (1935 b.) and Donald Judd (1928 – 1994) are artists that
made their mark within the Minimal circle. Much Minimalist art took the form
of
sculpture and installations, but there were also a number of painters.
Since Minimalist sculpture is liberated from metaphors or figurative references,
it is often displayed as a series of repetitive objects. Carl Andre used
repetitive geometrical forms such as bricks, concrete blocks and copper tiles
in his installation
pieces.
Minimal art has become highly successful throughout the 20th Century and
continues to be influential today.
