Minimalism is an art movement that emerged in the USA in the early 1960s, primarily in visual arts and music. It originated in New York City and focused on the removal of decorative, figurative, and representational elements from art. Minimalist artists often convey a profound sense of power through simplicity, focusing on the textural and material elements in a pure abstract form.
Minimalism emerged as a reaction to the emotional qualities of Abstract Expressionism in the mid-20th century. Artists of other modern art movements veered away from labels for similar reasons. Minimalists took abstract painting’s break from representation a step further, focusing on pure form and emphasizing materiality. In reducing objects and aesthetics to their essential components, language became extraneous.
Some artists leave their work untitled because they are not good at expressing themselves in words as visually. Untitled is made of rectangular metal boxes, a simple geometric form the artist favored because it carried no symbolic meaning. The work is untitled because “meaning” is always shifting in time and place.
Minimalism and Conceptual Art aims to strip art to its barest and most essential elements. Artists featured within this theme include Dan Flavin and Donald Judd. Minimalism is an extreme form of abstract art developed in the USA in the 1960s, typified by artworks composed of simple geometric shapes based on the idea that “meaning” is always shifting in time and place.
📹 Why Are Many Modern Artworks “Untitled”? | ARTiculations
Why are modern and contemporary artworks often untitled? I explain the backstory and ideas behind some of them! If you’d like to …
What makes minimalism unique?
Minimalism is a lifestyle that emphasizes conscious decision-making about possessions, time, energy, and relationships. It values simplicity and rejects superficial mass consumerism, aiming to highlight the beauty and true purpose of things in life. This philosophy aligns with the Scandinavian way of living, which is often ranked among the happiest nationalities. Denmark, a modest nation with around 5. 7 million residents, has a unique minimalist design philosophy shaped by post-war economic hardships.
Danish designers like Arne Jakobsen, Kaare Klint, and Poul Henningsen, along with the government’s innovative design initiatives, laid the foundation for Danish minimalist living. The Danish climate influences the creation of comfortable interiors, exemplifying the Danish “hygge” phenomenon. Oprah Winfrey encapsulated Denmark’s environmental consciousness and efficient living as “less space, less things, more life”.
What is the point of Minimalism art?
Minimalism is an art movement that emphasizes the idea that art should have its own reality and not be an imitation of another thing. It emerged in the late 1950s when artists like Frank Stella began to shift away from gestural art. The movement flourished in the 1960s and 1970s, with influential innovators like Carl Andre, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt, Agnes Martin, and Robert Morris.
Minimalism is linked to conceptual art, which also flourished in the 1960s and 1970s. Both movements challenged existing structures for creating, disseminating, and viewing art, arguing that the importance given to the art object is misplaced and leads to a rigid and elitist art world that only the privileged few can afford to enjoy. The medium, material, and form of the work are the reality, and the viewer is only prompted to respond to what is in front of them.
What are the 3 characteristics of Minimalism art?
The defining characteristics of minimalist art include the use of geometric shapes, a restricted palette, the incorporation of everyday materials, and an emphasis on the object itself, rather than on emotional associations.
Why does minimalism exist?
Minimalism emerged in New York in the early 1960s as a response to the stale and academic art of the time. It was characterized by a preference for cool, industrial materials and anonymity over the expressive excess of Abstract Expressionism. Minimist artists emphasized the materiality of their works, avoiding overt symbolism and emotional content. By the end of the 1970s, Minimalism had triumphed in America and Europe through various forces, including museum curators, art dealers, publications, and new systems of private and government patronage.
Minimists distanced themselves from Abstract Expressionists by removing any suggestion of biography or metaphors, leading to the creation of sleek, geometric works that radically eschew conventional aesthetic appeal. The post-Sputnik era revived interest in Russian Constructivism, which led to the use of modular fabrication and industrial materials in preference to traditional sculpture techniques. The readymades of Marcel Duchamp were also inspirational examples of prefabricated materials used in Minimalism.
The use of prefabricated industrial materials and simple geometric forms, along with the emphasis on the physical space occupied by the artwork, forced viewers to confront the arrangement and scale of the forms. Minimalists sought to break down traditional notions of sculpture and erase distinctions between painting and sculpture, rejecting the formalist dogma espoused by critic Clement Greenberg. Their more democratic point of view was set out in writings and exhibitions by their leaders Sol LeWitt, Donald Judd, and Robert Morris.
What is the intention of minimalism?
Minimalism is a life marked by clarity, purpose, and intentionality. It involves promoting the things we value and removing distractions. It forces intentionality upon us, resulting in improvements in various aspects of life. Individuals may differ in their intentions, but it requires deep introspection about values and passions. Freedom from the passion to possess is another aspect of minimalistism. Modern culture has often believed that the good life is found in accumulating things, believing that more is better and happiness can be purchased at a department store.
How do you title an untitled art?
Untitled works are often titled or unnamed by the artist. They should be written in italics with an initial capital letter, including the year of production and the artist’s name. If the year of production is not available, the artist’s name and the medium of the work should be included in square brackets. Hunter’s Untitled is part of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s permanent collection, while Dinh’s Untitled (oil on hardboard) was recently purchased for a private collection. Titles of unique works of art should be written in italics, capitalizing and punctuating according to the original title.
What does Untitled mean on a painting?
In the context of modernism, there was a notable shift in the way artists approached the naming of their art. This often involved leaving their work untitled or assigning it a number, particularly in the realm of abstract art. This approach allowed viewers to engage with the work on their own terms, rather than being guided by a specific subject or title.
Who makes Untitled Art?
Untitled Art, a brewery founded in 2016, is a collaboration between Levi Funk, owner of Funk Factory Geuzeria, and Isaac Showaki, founder of Octopi Brewing. Funk directs the beer, formulating recipes and sourcing ingredients, while Showaki focuses on production and marketing. Untitled Art beers are produced 50 barrels at a time by Octopi staff. The brewery concept aims to create unique, modern brewing styles that are not found in many Midwest breweries.
The label, featuring abstractly painted labels and eye-catching color, reflects the unique flavor of each beer. Despite not having a physical brewery or large staff, Untitled Art’s low overhead allows Funk and Showaki to brew their beers when they want. Their work is a mix of art and conversation, making a grand statement while being enjoyed by many.
Why are some artworks untitled?
The author or artist may choose to title a work “Untitled” when unable to find a more satisfactory title, for prestige or to include it in the category of untitled productions. This title is arbitrary and does not express any specific content-descriptive or connotative meaning or intent to include the project in the established category of untitled works. This decision is often made by famous authors or artists.
Why are the arts not valued?
The Writers Guild of America strike action, the longest to affect Hollywood, has ended after 146 days. Many demands, including fair pay, staffing reduction, and AI protection, have been met. However, the actors strike, which began shortly after the writers’ strike, is still ongoing. The strike action’s implications are profoundly resonant to the arts in general and how much we value them. If we no longer ascribe intrinsic worth to the people who craft what we read, watch, and enjoy, what does that say about how highly we think of the arts in society?
When the writer was younger, they wanted to be an actress, but their parents seemed to prepare them for the less glamorous aspects of the job. They bought them actor biographies detailing a life of rejection and hardship. A comic strip was cut out for the writer, which remained pinned to the cork-board behind their desk until their early twenties when they gave up on the dream.
📹 Famous Minimalist Artists You Should Know
Famous Minimalist Artists You Should Know Minimalism is an art movement that emerged in the United States in the 1960s, …
I think I would title that piece “The Expanse”, because that’s what it looks like to me, a never-ending expanse of land going off into the distance. I tend to give my pieces pretty straightforward titles. For example, I’ve done a painting of a girl in a pink satin dress and I titled it “Little Girl In Pink Satin”. When I don’t think titling the piece after what actually in it would suffice, I might title it after something that stands out to me. I did a drawing of a woman with a particularly intense gaze, so I called it, “The Gaze”. I might also title a piece after a scenario I imagine to be going on between the subjects or what I imagine the subject to be thinking. I did two paintings of parrots which I titled “Awkward” and “Hey Over There”, and I’m thinking of titling the current piece I’m working on “‘You Looking At Me?”. It’s of a woman sitting in a chair looking sidelong at the viewer.
To me, the central feature of that Rothko painting is that the perfect absolute black is uniform, while the weathered grey permits variations and thus holds more information. It’s as if by subtracting something from nothing complexity is created, but that’s probably just my personal philosophy speaking.
People forget Rothko was painting for decades before he evolved into the color field paintings and most newbs complain about how much someone paid for em or they think it’s a conceptual scam. You put some time behind a brush you change . Rothko came outa one of the two branches of surrealism there’s a history of other artists behind him . He also probably never received more then 1500 bucks for a painting . He also did just lay out 2 colors . Yes they’re thinned out but he layered the colors like Titian ….Now also this stuff was painted more then 60 or so years ago thats a bit long ago for some to sound like they’re losing sleep over him . If you give it time and don’t like it fine there’s plenty of art out there I don’t like myself . He’s not one of my favorite artists but hearing the hypheee kidz, the West side Oakland ” street” artist I know, go on about Rothko and Pollock gets grating after awhile. Great scandal after his suicide
At 2.42 (the same one as at end & you asked for title of a work – you say was by Rothko…) I saw 3 faces in the grey at the bottom. You could call it something like Before, Then, Later (but infinite number of possible titles) – but maybe untitled is better so people have to look, absorb and allow their imagination freedom to see what arrives for THEM. I know when I give my art titles it removes some of this freedom but it also might HELP those who need (or think they do, are told they do) a bit of aid to try to see or feel ANYTHING when faced with the (apparently) non-representational. Pros and cons, to give a title or not? For what REASON, for WHAT, WHY and for WHOM? Those are the questions… Oh and for keeping track of my art it’s easier (except when I change the title and forget I have!), and it can be hard to say ‘oh I like that one with the blurry blue bits…’ when lots of them have similar, or ‘I want to buy Untitled’ – ‘which one?’ ???
I am of the belief that the audience should not have to work harder at interpreting the work than the actual artist did while creating the artwork. I think a lot of minimalist artists use hardly any talent to create works that the the viewers spend tons of time and brainpower trying to interpret. And all the praise goes to the pretentious artist who couldn’t even be bothered to give their handiwork a goddamned name.
i’d call it “Lesser Evils.” to me and perhaps to the artist, black vs white, or good vs. bad is a tired and dangerous trope, at best. the world might be better off with the more accurate narrative of true darkness (black) and ambiguity (grey). the lightest grey represents the best of human nature and exists as a feint spectre on the border, because the purest intentions are borne from the darkest thoughts.
The picture first seemed to me, as if it were depicting a distant object floating in space, barely lit by a nearby star. However the downwards flowing lines at the central horizontal division give the grey part of the image the appearance of a wall that has accumulated grey dirt and pollution beeing washed away by cleaning rain during a dark storm. could be that I am interpreting this only this only that way because it is currently raining.
Let’s not forget that this and other modern art lives of the circle jerking of so called art experts whose job is is too hype an artist and his work to sell it. It’s mostly about image and for the buyer to be able to say that they own something that is en Vogue now and might rise in value. That’s how this “art” is so successful. Don’t fall for it.
Gosh, what is the musical piece that starts off this article?! I swear it’s from a article game or at least associated with one! Update: “49th Street Galleria” by Chris Zabriskie, thank you Master of Turtles for asking before me, and this track was prominently featured in the game, “Her Story”. Sorry to plug something here! I’ll be sure to share this article with friends 🙂
Very few artists are creative when it comes to titling their work. Exceptions to this are “I saw the figure 5 in gold” a Futurist painting by American artist Charles Demuth, “Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?” a proto-pop collage by British artist Richard Hamilton, “The Persistence of Memory” by Surrealist master Salvador Dali, and of course, Marcel Duchamp’s original readymade urinal with ultra ironic title “Fountain.”
I used to untitled my paintings until I worked in a exhibition where I should label the artworks and the artist, an old sculptor, made a lot of identical works, with the same same dimensions, made on different dates and it was so confuse. Since that i give a sort of nicknames to my paintings just to organize it
might call that painting “black and black” to make people question the boundaries of color. maybe as a reference to “black and white” thinking, hinting that there’s subtlety and nuance in even the most binary-sounding ideas, such as “black and white”. those colors can encompass a LOT of different shades, and colors that may be called black in one context would be called grey when viewed in a different context.
I think of titles as a kind of word image. I think it is possible to let the title become as a wordcolor – and it does not have to describe anything in the image but be part of the image – and ” untitled” is a kind of anonymous title …. and even if you use a title you can easily express an ambiguity and open into meanings and feelings as open as anything
OK this is weird, I was just reading about Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ works and I saw that he had a lot of untitled works, but I assumed more artists did the same. I googled “why do artists choose to leave their work untitled” and at the end of this article his name comes up again; which is crazy to me because of the sheer amount of artists with “untitled” works. Very nice article.
I think trying to find figurative motifs in abstract painting (like what you said about how it looks like a desert) kind of missing the whole point of abstract painting for me the idea of choosing not to title your work is to give you a chance to dive inside the painting the colors the shapes the composition without any interference or association an actual title will give you, soaking it all in without trying to always find “what it looks like in the real world” just enjoy the beauty of pure forms and color.
Rothco- You’re living a lie! I feel there is a place for abstract minimalism as an intellectual exercise but creating an entire career from it and having people take it THAT seriously. Well it’s as if we started valuing architects concept sketches more than the actual building. A concept is powerful but unless it actually extend’s beyond an idea it could just as well be some text in a book.
On the Rothko painting, I suggest: “Paint on Canvass” or “Unskilled Labor that Earned Millions of Dollars”. I believe that the “untitled” pieces were deliberately left untitled because they are meaningless and irrelevant. It is difficult to “title” anything that was randomly done with no thought, purpose or skill.