Sometimes, less is more, even in art. By eliminating the details and offering the viewer an abstract subject to consider, minimalist art provides plenty of room for interpretation — giving artists the ability to start a conversation and expand the role of art in an increasingly complex world.
Exploring minimalism in contemporary art can reveal the power that lies within this artistic technique, inspiring creators to focus on simplicity in art of their own.
Understanding the Principles of Minimalism in Fine Arts
According to the Museum of Modern Art, minimalism is an art movement that emerged in the 1960s in the United States. Focusing heavily on geometric forms and simplified structures, famous minimalist artists sought to challenge the traditional notions that art had to look and feel a certain way in order to be considered legitimate.
Defining Minimalist Art
Minimalist art is defined by the Tate Museum as an extreme form of abstract expressionism. Without trying to create a representation or reflection of a subject, minimalist art examples do not include any representational conflict. The principles of minimalist design require an artist to rely primarily on simplistic shapes and geometric forms to create a work of art encouraging viewers to remain fully in the present moment. Rather than trying to determine what the art represents, the viewer should simply accept the minimalist painting or minimalist sculpture for what it is.
The Philosophy Behind “Less Is More”
The philosophy behind the minimalist art movement was that art should be enjoyed by the masses, regardless of their level of education or exposure to the arts. The first minimalist artists who emerged believed that the traditional processes of creating fine art excluded many from enjoying or benefiting from art, and they worked to create simple, modern and powerful works that urged viewers to shed their expectations of what art is supposed to be.
Key Artists in Minimalist Art
As the minimalist art movement emerged in the latter half of the 20th century, several famous minimalist artists became well-known around the world. Below are just a few of the artists who helped develop the minimalist art style:
Donald Judd
Throughout the course of his career, Donald Judd was known as an artist, architect and writer. According to the Judd Foundation, he made significant contributions to the minimalist art movement, largely by expanding the idea of what this artistic style could be. He primarily created simplistic, three-dimensional works of art — most of which were untitled and all of which served to showcase the power of artistic expression.
Agnes Martin
Agnes Martin was a Canadian-born American artist who became known as one of the most impactful, modern minimalist painters. According to the Museum of Modern Art, her paintings often focused on minimalist geometric art, and she had a tendency to extend her boundaries beyond the confines of abstract expressionism and minimalism. She believed in weaving spirituality into her paintings, allowing her to create a style that was uniquely her own.
Frank Stella
According to the National Gallery of Art, Frank Stella was one of the first artists to define the minimalist art movement, as he sought to push his boundaries beyond the confines of abstract expressionism. He often used repeated geometric patterns in his paintings, and as his career progressed, he began to transition from shades of black and gray to brighter, more vibrant colors.
Techniques and Elements of Minimalist Art
Honing the “less is more” philosophy, modern minimalist painters and artists leverage specific techniques to create simplistic and impactful pieces. According to the Museum of Modern Art, these are some of the key minimalist painting techniques:
The Use of Negative Space
Defined as the space around the subject of the piece, negative space is used heavily in minimalist landscape art and minimalist painting in order to prioritize the subject. Through emphasizing the negative space, a minimalist artist can strip away distractions from the work so the viewer remains fully present as they absorb the painting.
Restrained Color Palettes
The minimalist art movement emphasizes simplicity in all forms, which means that most minimalist sculpture artists and modern minimalist painters use only a few colors in their pieces. With a limited color palette, they are able to highlight the textures, forms, geometric shapes and dynamic dimensions of the design in an insightful, intriguing way. For instance, a piece might feature only two or three complementary color tones or a monochromatic scheme using varying shades of the same core color.
Geometric Shapes and Lines
Geometric shapes, lines, and repeated patterns are foundational to the minimalist art style. The use of these patterns and shapes allows the artist to offer an entirely pure form of art that prioritizes order, simplicity, and harmony. Most modern minimalist artists want to convey truth in an unpretentious manner, and the form and structure of geometric shapes and lines allow them to do that. By eliminating the representational symbols from their art, they may create an honest and upfront piece for viewers to absorb.
Minimalism Across Different Art Forms
When learning how to create minimalist art, it becomes evident how this movement extends across a variety of media — including sculpture, painting, drawing, and architectural design.
Minimalism in Sculpture
According to Artland magazine, sculpture played a pivotal part in the development of the minimalist art movement. The artists who initially began defining the minimalist art style worked primarily with industrial materials, such as plywood and sheet metal, to create three-dimensional forms. As opposed to being placed on a pedestal for viewers to admire from all perspectives, minimalist sculptures often consisted of geometrical structures that were placed on the floor. The goal was to have individuals explore the relationship between the art and the surrounding space to uncover the harmony and truth that exists there.
Minimalism in Painting and Drawing
Minimalist painting also held a prominent role in the emergence of this art style. Rather than creating detailed abstract paintings, minimalist artists focused on stripped-down versions of art. Their paintings often emphasized the use of negative space, ultimately encouraging the viewer to focus intensely on the geometric pattern or repetitive design. The goal of minimalism in painting and drawing was to minimize subjective interpretation in lieu of the truth.
Minimalism in Architecture and Design
With its emphasis on simplistic form and industrial materials, minimalism certainly has its place in architecture and design. Employing elements of pure necessity and functionality, minimalist buildings tend to incorporate designs with basic shapes, plenty of open space and a connection to the surrounding natural environment (e.g., prioritizing natural light inside). Some famous minimalist artists, like Donald Judd, used their fascination with the minimalist art style to expand into the architectural realm.
The Emotional and Visual Impact of Minimalism
At a time of significant social change, minimalism made an impact on avid art aficionados as well as those who were new to the concept of fine art. Stripping away the traditional notions of art allowed minimalist artists to create simplified pieces that appealed to the masses and proved that art could truly be for anyone. As a result, the minimalist art movement was one defined by its emotional and visual impact.
The Power of Silence in Art
Allowing for plenty of negative space in each piece, minimalist artists are able to showcase the power of silence in art. The simplistic nature of minimalist sculptures and minimalist paintings requires the viewer to focus solely on the subject at hand. Many feel that truth comes through more clearly because of the amount of negative space used in minimalist art.
Encouraging the Viewer’s Engagement
Minimalist art is, by nature, void of representation and symbolism yet still visually compelling and attractive. By bucking the traditional notions of fine art, minimalist art opens its doors to a wide range of viewers, all of whom are invited to engage with the piece and ponder the truth that has been laid before them.
Contemporary Minimalist Artists and the Legacy of Minimalism
While the minimalist art movement began to take shape in the late 1950s and thrived throughout the 1960s and 1970s, many contemporary minimalist artists have worked to further its legacy in recent years. Today, the minimalist art style continues to prioritize simplicity in art, with most minimalist paintings and sculptures utilizing geometric shapes and lines to emphasize the raw nature of the materials in the work.
Practitioners of Minimalism
Minimalist artists have worked to build upon the foundation laid during the 20th century while adapting the minimalist style to suit their distinct artistic visions. Some leading contemporary minimalist artists who have achieved recognition include:
- Rachel Whiteread (sculptor from London)
- Teresita Fernández (mixed media sculptor from New York)
- Ellsworth Kelly (sculptor, painter and printmaker from New York)
- Carmen Herrera (abstract painter and visual artist from Cuba)
- Richard Serra (abstract, large-scale sculptor from New York)
- Dan Flavin (artist from New York focused on fluorescent lighting installations)
The Lasting Influence of Minimalism
Minimalism made its mark on the art scene by presenting works completely different from anything that had been seen in a gallery or museum before. Minimalism influenced the discipline of art by:
- Redefining fine art and highlighting that the denial of expression can exist within any work of art.
- Allowing artists to explore various craft techniques to create sculptures that are insightful and inspiring.
- Providing artists with the freedom to use industrial materials to create sculptures.
- Removing all limits that previously existed about art. Through minimalism, artists were able to explore a greater sense of creative expression.
Explore the Minimalist Art Movement at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
If you are passionate about simplicity in art, then you may want to learn more about the minimalist art style. At Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, we offer an on-campus Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program that allows you to explore a variety of media while you develop your own artistic perspective. The curriculum explores a wide range of topics, including the minimalist aesthetic, so students may develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of the fine arts in our world. Request more information about our fine arts degree programs today.
