Minimalism
Minimalism was a primarily American art movement of the 1960s, characterised by simple and often enormous forms.
Minimalism in art goes beyond the idea of art imitating something else, challenging traditional ideas of craftsmanship while often leveraging mathematical systems. We traditionally think of art as showing something from the real world. It can also represent emotions or feelings. Minimalists, however, make no effort to show an external reality – asking you to focus only on what's right in front of you. The material it's made from and the shape of the artwork itself are what matter. As minimalist painter Frank Stella put it – "what you see is what you see.”
16 results found for "Minimalism"
Carmen Herrera
For decades, Cuban painter Carmen Herrera was the unsung hero of Minimalism, but now she holds her rightful place in history.
George Condo – Rethinking reality
Condo coined two terms to describe his radical art style – artificial realism and psychological realism.
Barbie Pink
Barbie is everywhere, but what's pink got to do with it?
What is Generative Art?
Humans have been experimenting with generative art for centuries, but Web 3.0 technology such as NFTs and smart contracts has unlocked new possibilities. Here’s what you need to know about the movement that’s shaking up the art world.
Tomás Sánchez: En el paisaje interior
In conversation, Cuban painter Tomás Sánchez illuminates the spiritual underpinnings and sustainable production of his debut timed release.
Giorgiko
Giorgiko is the artist name for the creative duo of Darren Inouye (he/him) and Trisha Inouye (she/her), both born in 1989 in California, USA. The husband-and-wife team currently live and work in Los Angeles, USA.
Grant Riven Yun
Grant Yun (he/him) was born in San Jose, California. He is based in Milwaukee where he currently works and studies.
Sarah Morris
Sarah Morris was born in London, England in 1967, and raised in Rhode Island, USA. She’s now based in New York, working from her studio in Long Island City.
Ix Shells
Itzel Yard, aka Ix Shells, (she/her) was born in 1990 in Panama, where she continues to live and work.
Szabolcs Bozó
Szabolcs Bozó was born in 1992 in Pécs, Hungary, and now lives and works in London, UK.
Jenny Brosinski
Jenny Brosinski was born in 1984 in Celle, Germany, and now lives and works in Berlin.
Chris Succo
Chris Succo was born in 1979 and lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Frédéric Platéus
Frédéric Platéus was born in 1976 in Belgium and currently lives and works in Liège.
Frederick Douglass, 1850
With an edition of silkscreen prints, Elizabeth Peyton makes an emotive tribute to a seminal figure in the history of America.In Frederick Douglass, 1850 (2020), Peyton renders the titular American abolitionist, orator and writer from the neck up. The intimate and closely-cropped scale emphasises the minimalism and physicality of her brushwork, and heightens the emotional intensity of her subject's expression. She builds up the contours of Douglass’s face from short, watery dabs of oil paint – lending the composition a sense of spirited lightness.Peyton’s artwork has been meticulously translated into a 32-layer, limited edition silkscreen in close collaboration artisan printmakers at Make-Ready in London – one of a pair of editions launched in support of the National Portrait Gallery in London. Re-opening in June 2023, the Gallery's diversified collection focuses on presenting an inclusive and dynamic picture of the people who have contributed to the rich history of the United Kingdom.Frederick Douglass, 1850, 2023, silkscreen print © Elizabeth Peyton
Daily Provision
In Daily Provision, a skewed humanoid figure reflects on the virtues of gratitude and modesty. KPE Innocent’s unique take on minimalism is rooted in the unpretentiousness of his faith and expressed in careful line work.Studio Works is a series of original artworks by emerging artists across the world.
Santa with Butt Plug Bronze 11.4 inches
With an assembly of red bronzes, Paul McCarthy imparts a lewd lesson on the duality of an object.From early performances to pop-up Parisian confectioners and 80-foot inflatables, sex toys and Santa Claus have a storied past in the work of seminal American artist Paul McCarthy. Short of a signature, the two belong to a perverse lexicon of icons and archetypes which McCarthy has revisited, re-invented and combined at will over the course of his five decade career. In this case, questioning the commodification of Christmas and the associations of a derided object which – in another context – might be considered a masterstroke of minimalism.Santa with Butt Plug Bronze 11.4 inches revisits a 2001 public sculpture commissioned by the city of Rotterdam. A foam replica, created during the casting process and subsequently left to rot for five years outside McCarthy’s studio, provides the form for a new and smaller incarnation. Cracks, fissures and imperfections are preserved as testament to the artwork’s ongoing history. A sanguine finish completes the edition – heightening the fidelity of its surface and fulfilling McCarthy’s vision for his original, large-scale Santa.For the full picture, read an accompanying journal – Butt plugs, Santa Claus & Paul McCarthy.
Other words in the glossary
Start your collection with an edition
Do you need framing advice?
Building your collection? We can help.
