Post-minimalism Refresher
I have some trouble with letting go of a need to have things quite structured and have control of what I do or create. This appears to become more of an issue when I am under stress or when a lot is happening in my life and I am not looking after myself mentally and physically. To try feel more at ease with formlessness, I decided to spend the week do an indepth refresher on postminimalism movement, reading and watching YouTube videos.
Postminimalism is an artistic movement that emerged in the late 1960s as a response to the rigidity and austerity of minimalism. It sought to expand upon minimalism's core principles while introducing new elements and ideas.
Key Characteristics:
Embracing Subjectivity: Postminimalism veered away from the objective and impersonal approach of minimalism, and focused on more subjective experiences and individual expression. Artists incorporated personal narratives, emotions, and cultural references in their works.
Hybridity and Eclecticism: Postminimalism embraced a more eclectic approach, combining various artistic mediums, materials, and techniques. Artists started integrating elements from sculpture, painting, installation, performance, and other disciplines, blurring the traditional boundaries between art forms.
Emphasis on Process: Postminimalist artists emphasized the process of creation rather than the final product. They encouraged a hands-on approach, allowing materials and techniques to guide the artwork's development. This emphasis on process often resulted in artworks that appeared unfinished or in a state of flux.’
Contextual and Site-Specific Art: Postminimalism questioned the neutrality of galleries and museums, seeking to create art that responded to specific environments and contexts. Artists began making site-specific installations that acknowledged the physical space and interacted with the surrounding architecture or natural landscape.
Introducing Narrative and Symbolism: Postminimalism reintroduced narrative elements and symbolism into art, challenging the formalist tendencies of minimalism. Artists used metaphors, allegories, and visual cues to convey messages, explore social issues, or engage with cultural and historical references.
Inclusivity and Social Engagement: Postminimalism expanded the inclusivity of art by incorporating diverse materials and everyday objects associated with daily life. By using these accessible elements, artists aimed to engage a broader audience, blur the boundaries between high and low art, and raise awareness about social, cultural, and political issues.
Rejection of Perfection: Postminimalism rejected the pursuit of perfection and polished aesthetics. Instead, artists embraced imperfections, found beauty in irregularities, and celebrated the handmade quality of their works. This rejection of perfection also reflected a critique of the commercialization and mass production of art.
Key Postminimalist Artists:
1. Richard Serra:
Richard Serra is renowned for his monumental sculptures that explore the relationship between space, materiality, and the viewer's experience. His works, often composed of industrial-grade steel, challenge traditional notions of sculpture and engage with the surrounding environment.
2. Eva Hesse:
Eva Hesse is known for her innovative use of unconventional materials, such as latex, fiberglass, and plastics, to create sculptures that blur the boundaries between object and organism. Her works often have an organic, fragile quality that reflects themes of vulnerability and impermanence.
3. Sol LeWitt:
Sol LeWitt's conceptual approach to art was a defining characteristic of his Postminimalist practice. He is renowned for his wall drawings and sculptures characterised by precise geometric forms and modular systems. LeWitt's emphasis on the idea behind the artwork rather than the final product challenged traditional notions of artistic creation.
4. Robert Morris:
Robert Morris's diverse body of work encompassed various mediums, including sculpture, installation, and performance art. By challenging traditional notions of sculpture and embracing impermanence and ephemerality, his works often explore the relationship between art, space, and the viewer's presence.
5. Donald Judd:
Donald Judd's minimalistic sculptures, often composed of industrial materials like plywood and metal, are characterized by their clean lines, simplified forms, and focus on geometric precision. He sought to eliminate any overt artistic expression, emphasising the object's inherent qualities and its relationship to the surrounding space.
A work within this which particulalry caught my attention for its relevancy theoretically when researching these artist was ‘Verb List’ by Richard Serra.
‘Verb List’, Richard Serra, 1967
Richard Serra, Verb List, 1967, graphite on paper, 2 sheets, each 10 x 8 ½ inches (25.4 x 21.6 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of the artist in honor of Wynn Kramarsky, 2011. © 2013 Richard Serra / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / Photo: John Wronn http://artequalstext.aboutdrawing.org/richard-serra/
Drawn on paper in pencil, ’Verb List’ is made up of two drawings that Serra produced in 1967. Rather than presenting objects, it presents a list of actions or verbs such as "to roll," "to fold," "to overlap," and "to drape." At first glance it is a a fairly simple straightforward piece it emphasises the power of action in art and acts as a kind of guide, suggesting possible interactions between a sculpture and its environment. In reading the list, it could be imagined by the viewer how a sculpture might inhabit or shape a given space or how it is a dynamic form which is capable of embodying human emotions and movement.
The inspiration for ‘Verb List’ can be traced back to Serra's interest in the phenomenology of perception and its relationship to human experience. He believed that art had the potential to directly affect an individual's perception and consciousness. By focusing on verbs that denote physical and intuitive action, Serra seeks to prompt a visceral response and encouraging the viewer to be an active participants in the artwork.
’Verb List’ resonated with me for how it reflects process and also for the potential for those actions in creating with bioplastic. Maybe making it easier to let go of feeling like the making process or the final outcome needs to be heavily controlled. It is a work that I feel like I need to print a copy of and place oo my studio wall and reflect on when I’m feeling anxious about my material that I sometimes have little agency over.
References: (format)
Lecture 08 Post-Minimalism & Light Art, Art History with Travis Lee Clark, https://youtu.be/ZnjUPRVgNtU?si=-_ki1BjhV0GuJ48M
Art 201: Minimalism, Post Minimalism, Conceptualism, Brandelyn Andres, https://youtu.be/OjwiI7Ux7vM?si=84Jaq_TmYzHT99va
Richard Serra. Art Story https://www.theartstory.org/artist/serra-richard/
Eva Hesse. Britannica .https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eva-Hesse
Sol LeWitt. Pace Gallery. [https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/401/sol-lewitt]
Robert Morris. Dia Art Foundation. [https://www.diaart.org/artist/robert-morris]
The Judd Foundation. Judd Foundation. [http://juddfoundation.org]
Hesse, E., & Pisetzky, D. (2012). Richard Serra: Verb list. Sculpture, 31(7), 84-87.
Kertess, K. (2011). Richard Serra: "Verb List" (1967). In The Whitney Museum of American Art: Handbook of the Collection (pp. 286-287). Whitney Museum of American Art.
Richard Serra verb list https://www.moma.org/collection/works/152793
