Minimalism vs. Academic Art
Introduction:
Based primarily in New York City, Minimalism was a national movement in American art that transpired in 1959. In its coexistence with Pop Art, the two movements began as reactions against the Abstract Expressionist movement, which lasted from 1946 to the 1960s. Many artists felt that the expression and individualism of Abstract Expressionism was inneffective. It was difficult to relate to because only one could truly understand its meaning; the artist. Abstract Expressionism was emotive and meaningful for the artist but not necessarily for the viewer. Kazimir Malevich (Suprematist Composition: White Square on White, 1918), a Russian Suprematist, and Marcel Duchamp (Bottle Rack, 1914), a Dadaist, inspired the Minimalist theories. It was their influence that aspired Minimalists to test the limitations imposed by traditional art. Minimalism deviated from Academic/Realist art as well as Pop Art and as recently as 1997 Minimalism “remains important because, over three decades later, a great deal of contemporary art is built out of the same materials and by similar means, whether or not it is made to serve the same or similar ends” (Batchelor 7).
Minimalism:
Although artists and art historians can easily describe Minimalism as an art form the term itself has yet to be concretely defined. Minimalism featured works without links to narrative or representation, as opposed to Academic art. Revolutionizing the concept of art by rejecting personal touch, the ‘anonymous art’ of Minimalism is deliberately detached and unemotional. Throughout history artists have strived to capture truth/reality, at times by recording what they actually saw and at other times by what they felt. Characterized by its simplicity, literal regularity, serial repetition, unconventional materials and geometric shapes Minimalist art lacks not only ornamentation but complication as well. The reality of it is that “its apparent simplicity is the result of rigorous focusing, which is the elimination of distraction” (Craig-Martin 7). Literally, what you see is what you get. The attention of the audience is imperative to the appreciation of Minimalist works because “it reorders values and locates profound experience in ordinary experience” (Craig-Martin 7). A fundamental factor of a Minimalist exhibition is the space in which it has been located. Art was changed significantly by Minimalism because it transformed what was considered ‘acceptable’. The complex nature of Minimalism stimulated “not simply new styles of painting and sculpture but an alternative attitude toward art, toward art making, and toward art meaning” (Craig-Martin 7).
Minimalist Artists:
Tony Smith:
Tony Smith was a sculptor with a great deal of impact on art in the 1960s. Born in 1912, Tony Smith was among the Abstract Expressionist generation. In light of his previous training as an architect he exhibited structural elements throughout his sculpture. Like many architects, Tony Smith was aware of the importance of the environment in which a work was located. He thought it necessary for art to complement its surrounding space and vice versa. The audience must experience the art, “not merely imbibe its significance by standing in front of it, manifested itself in Smith’s large, abstract pieces, which subvert traditional categories of sculpture and experience” (Arnason 548). In 1962, Tony Smith created Die, a six-foot cube made of steel. Die is a stripped down, abstract form. The large scale was decided upon because it would be relatable to the size of the viewer. Its dark color could be representative of death and one is buried six-feet under. A die is also singular for ‘dice’ and it is in the form of a cube. Smith visualized this design but it was executed by others. There is a common attitude among Minimalist artists that the concept was the artistic creation (Arnason 549).
Tony Smith, Die, 1962
Smith’s sculpture Cigarette is associated with an everyday object. It is a massive sculpture that arches high enough so that the audience can walk through, demanding “physical interaction with the viewer; as he or she moves around the structure” (Arnason 549). The idea of the audience becoming involved forces them to directly ‘experience’ the art. A cigarette has been constructed into a sculpture made of steel and “despite its association with an everyday, disposable object, the sculpture is by no means pictorial; nor can it be easily cast aside or discarded” (Arnason 549). An object that just gets thrown away had now been created out of industrial steel to make it an everlasting object. There is an architectural feel about this piece that reinstates Tony Smith’s former training. Simple geometric shapes, stark lines, and cold industrial steel are elements that enhance the architectural atmosphere. The steel was weather treated meaning that it does not rust or corrode although the patina will slightly change. This work embodies minimalism because there is no ornamentation, narrative or representation; it is straight-forward.
Tony Smith, Cigarette, 1961-1966
Carl Andre:
A significant and valuable personage in Minimalist art is Carl Andre. Inspiration for his early works derived from the thoughts and ideas of a Romanian sculptor named Constantin Brancusi (Bird in Space, 1925). Brancusi was living in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century as it was still the epicenter of the art world. Not only did he study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts but he exhibited many works in the Salon de la Nationale and the Salon d’Autumne. After working as an assistant to Auguste Rodin, Brancusi left behind the concepts of traditional Academic art. His sculpture is representational but with extremely simplified forms. Carl Andre was influenced by Brancusi because he questioned Academic art and created unconventional works. Brancusi had the means to be an Academic artist but decided against it in the end, opening the doors for non- traditional/non-academic artists such as Carl Andre.
As an artist, Andre was constantly ridiculed and questioned. Several of his sculptures were not accepted by because they were not considered art. For instance, Equivalent VIII is a sculpture made up of one hundred-twenty fire-bricks that are placed directly on the floor. Gravity is keeping the bricks in place because Carl Andre did not want to alter the objects in any way. This piece is part of a series, which includes eight sculptures all together, using the same one hundred-twenty fire-bricks to create various rectangular forms. Each unique creation is an illustration of the versatility of such minimal materials. Like many other Minimalist artists, Andre came up with the designs but did not take part in the its construction. It was difficult for people to relate to the aloof minimalism of Equivalent VIII because it was such a radical concept.
Carl Andre, Equivalent VIII, 1966
Donald Judd:
Donald Judd, a former art critic, advocated Minimalism even began creating artwork. He was a sculptor as well as a theorist and his writings are a main source of understanding Minimalist art. Judd wrote an essay in 1965 called Specific Objects, which explains many Minimalist beliefs. Sculpture and the use of space are two significant principles of Minimalism, which he stresses in his essay, “a work can be as powerful as it can be thought to be. Actual space is intrinsically more powerful and specific than paint on a flat surface…A work need only be interesting” (Arnason 549). He is stating that everyone can think what they want about a piece of art, it is to be interpreted in any way. Also Judd emphasized the importance of space and its incorporation into the artwork itself. Utilizing space can make a work of art much more powerful. The artist must be aware of the environment where their work is to be exhibited. Many Minimalists created their sculptures or paintings in the space where it would be shown.
Donald Judd’s sculpture Untitled, created in 1965 accentuates the space it inhabits. This work embodies Minimalism. There are multiple versions of this sculpture. made out of either galvanized steel or aluminum. The industrial materials used were galvanized iron, aluminum, brass, and/or Plexiglas and very rarely were they ever painted (Arnason 549). The basic geometric forms are repeated multiple times throughout the work. There is a balance between the sculpture and its space creating, what Professor Placidi calls, a ‘total sculptural environment’. Judd began “creating structures of order and harmony that resonated with their environment” (Arnason 550). Representation, narrative, ornamentation and meaning are absent. Donald Judd named every one of his works Untitled because he felt it was important to completely omit representation.
Donald Judd, Untitled, 1965
Frank Stella:
Frank Stella was born in 1936 which made him “one of the youngest and most talented artists associated with the new American painting of the sixties where he first gained wide recognition in 1960 with a number of works exhibited by New York’s Museum of Modern Art” (Arnason 545). His “black” painting series were the works exhibited. In 1959, at the age of twenty-three, Stella painted Die Fahne Hoch, one of the “black” paintings. Die Fahne Hoch means “the banner’s high”. The Minimalist characteristics of these paintings were the large size, the “vertical rectangles, with an absolutely symmetrical pattern of light lines forming regular, spaced rectangles moving inward from the canvas edge to the cruciform center” (Arnason 545). The shape of the canvas inspired this meticulous geometric design. The lack of visible brushstrokes was intentional because Stella wanted his art to be impersonal and the artist’s touch must be removed. The canvas was painted black with an industrial enamel paint and the thin white lines are the bare canvas. Frank Stella wanted his work to be empty of meaning. Many people found Stella’s “black” paintings to be intellectually stimulating while others thought they were depressing and rigid.
Frank Stella, Die Fahne Hoch, 1959
Academic/Realist Art:
Academic art was not as prominent as it once was because there had been a change in focus. The focus was on the progressive artists, such as the Minimalists. Realists were discontented with the direction in which the artistic movements were going. During the 1960s there were two different types of art, Minimalist Art and Pop Art, both rebelling against the Abstract Expressionists style of art, as well as Academic art. Today, we know of few artists that studied realism during the dates of these movements probably because this progressive art was so radical that it stole away the attention.
Philip Pearlstein:
Philip Pearlstein is a contemporary realist painter from the Minimalist generation. Best known for his large nude paintings, he hasalso painted landscapes and portraits. His paintings are naturalistic in conveying the human figure. The modern art groups were adamant about rejecting realism although one of the only differences between them is the representation of the human form in his paintings. The figures depicted are only objects, there is no sign of personality (and very rarely facial features). Tiny flaws are exaggerated making the human figure almost grotesque. He has borrowed some elements from the dominant art styles and incorporated them into his nude paintings. The lack of emotion and contact make the paintings cold and detached. There is a quiet, stagnant feel about many of his works. It is not uncommon to see limbs, heads and faces cut off of the canvas when looking at Pearlstein’s works. “Nude on Striped Hammock” is an example of the mystery within his works. It is a bird’s eye view of a woman resting in a hammock. She is completely nude and has no distinct characteristics. The vibrant colors of the hammock make her stand out because otherwise she would blend in with the background. His paintings show his interest in “modernism’s flatness and cropping, characteristics initially fostered by the influence of Japanese prints” (Arnason 632). Pearlstein’s paintings are very detailed yet the treatment of the figures gives the pieces a more simplified feel by “robbing them of their potential for expressionist content by a process of objectification, by rendering only one part of the anatomy at a time” (Arnason 632). There are several modernist components in Philip Pearlstein’s artwork but this is more than likely because he had to somewhat conform.
Philip Pearlstein, Nude on Striped Hammock, 1974
Andrew Wyeth:
Andrew Wyeth was a painter that could be characterized as more of a traditional realist. The majority of Wyeth’s paintings are watercolors of rural scenes with a neutral palette. These were scenes of his native Pennsylvania icluding rolling hills, fall colors, and old wooden houses. Neither Pop Art nor Minimalism promoted the use of representation. They wanted impersonal works that stress the importance of the object and its environment. Americans were very excited about progressive art and being the center of the art world. Andrew Wyeth’s painting were very old-fashioned. Abstract art was a symbol of the modern world while Realism was a reminder of the past. Christina’s World is one of Wyeth’s best-known paintings, which hangs in the Museum of Modern Art. Even during the times when realists were overlooked and ignored, Christina’s World remained popular. Christina has her back turned to the audience and she is staring at an old wooden house across a field. Even though we cannot see her face we are able to read her body language. Elwell’s Sawmill was painted twenty years after Christina’s World and there is a noticeable difference in Andrew Wyeth’s style. His brushstrokes have become more expressive and his forms are more simplified compared to what they once were. Elwell’s Sawmill is a realistic painting but it seems as though Wyeth picked up a more modern style.
Andrew Wyeth, Christina's World, 1948
Conclusion:
There are numerous differences between Minimalism and Academic art. The most notable of these differences is probably the way the Minimalists are so opposed to artwork relating to anything whereas the Academic artists want to portray emotions in their works. Minimalists have a strong appreciation for simple objects that most would call trivial. They are not taught a strict artistic style, they just use basic shapes, industrial materials, repetition and space to create their works. The Academic/Realist artists are conforming more and more to the more modern, abstract styles.