Emerging in reaction to Abstract Expressionism, the Minimalists looked to remove the artist's hand from artmaking, and earthworks did away with traditional media altogether.
c. 1960 - present
Beginner's guide
Although many works of art can be described as “minimal,” the name Minimalism refers specifically to a kind of reductive abstract art that emerged during the early 1960s.
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Walter De Maria, The Lightning Field
400 stainless steel poles in the high desert of New Mexico are the object, but the subject is the sublime.
Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty
Drought and rain govern when this work of art in Utah’s Great Salt Lake can be seen.
James Turrell, Skyspace, The Way of Color
A viewing station for sunrise and sunset, Turrell’s work manipulates light, time, and perception.
Bodyspacemotionthings
Serious Art or a jungle gym? Morris shows us that art can be experienced bodily, and Minimalism can be fun.
Richard Serra, Torqued Ellipse IV
Inspired by a misinterpretation of a Renaissance church in Rome, this sculpture pushed the limits of technology.
Donald Judd, Untitled
Judd’s boxes were made by factory workers, not by the artist—but he provided instructions.
Robert Morris, (Untitled) L-Beams
Are these objects the same size? Morris challenges our perception.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Gates
26 years in the making, this intervention in Central Park was controversial—even though it only lasted two weeks.