simple and easy way to learn the objective of history.

1. MINIMALISM
“WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU SEE.”
FRANK STELLA
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2. OVERVIEW
Minimalism is art movement that begins in 1960s but didn’t lasts for much long. It begins in
the reaction against the abstract expressionism. Minimalisms rejects the emotions, meanings
and allusions of the abstract expressionism. It reject the ways of seeing different objects like,
before minimalism artists think that there is something hidden in the piece of rock that should
be taken out but minimalist thinks that if there is a piece of rock then it is what it is, nothing
more. It has its own form and space.
Minimalism is also known as ABC art, Rejective art, Cool art, literalist art and Minimal art.
Minimalists wants that art should be more simple and more direct that the viewer easily
understands what he saw. There is no need to add the illusions and alternate perceptions in
their work.
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3. CHARACTERISTICS
If we take a look at the characteristics of the Minimalist art works whether it is painting or sculpture
or architecture, all of them are very simple and similar to each other. Because artists try to show the
simplest form of art:
• Geometrical shapes and forms
• Simple colors, direct from tube
• Industrial material
• Repetition of shapes and objects
• Meaningless
• Flat work
• Hard edged
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• No distraction of composition and
theme
• Colors are not used to express mood or
feelings
• Simplicity in both content and form
• Monochromatic: limited on one color
• Related hues like black, grey, white

4. WHAT IS THE POINT OF MINIMALISM?
Minimalist art can be seen as the extending the abstract idea that art should have its own
reality and not be an imitation of some other thing. With minimalism, no attempts were made
to represent an outside world because the artist wants the viewer to respond only to what is in
front of them.
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5. FAMOUS MINIMALISTS
There are some famous artists who work hard and become famous as minimalists. Their work is
important because it helps to define minimalism, especially for their easy specific objects that the art can
be made from everyday material.
• Donald Judd
• Agnes Martin
• Carl Andre
But here we are going to talk about two of them and their art works.
• Frank Stella
• Carl Andre
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• Frank Stella
• Robert Morris

6. FRANK STELLA ( 1936 )
He is the first minimalist of the movement. He is known for painter, print maker, sculptor and
architect. He influenced by the works Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock, Caravaggio etc. in most of his
paintings, he uses black wall paint on canvas called “Black Series”. He said that “ My paintings Is based on
the fact that only what can be seen is there. It really is an object. You can see the whole without confusion.
What you see is what you see.”
• Monochromatic colors
• Large canvases
• Flat style
• Stripes
• Repetition
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7. TOMLINSON COURT PARK,
1967
—FRANK STELLA
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8. MARRIAGE OF REASON
AND SQUALOR, 1959
FRANK STELLA
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9. CARL ANDRÉ (1935)
Andre is very close to Frank Stella. He influenced by the “constructivist” technique and works by Ezra
Pound among other pieces of literature. He is known for his linear and grid format sculptures. He said that
“Art excludes the unnecessary. I’m not interested in expression or sensitivity.”
Before Carl Andre moved to sculpture, he was working with literature and philosophy. Andre worked
with three types of minimalist sculpture in his career:
1. Sculpture as form
2. Sculpture as structure
3. Sculpture as place
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10. SCULPTURE AS FORM
TIMBER PIECE, 1962
CARL ANDRE
• Pieces usually consisted of wooden
blocks
• Always comprised of geometric shapes
• Stand vertical
• No complex shapes
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11. SCULPTURE AS STRUCTURE
THE WAY NORTH, EAST,
SOUTH, WEST, 1975
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12. SCULPTURE AS PLACE
UNTITLED, 1972
• Less rigid characteristics than the
other types of sculpture
• Pieces spread across the ground
• No definite size, shape, or material
used
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13. END OF MINIMALISM
• Minimalism trapped itself; there are only so
many ways to simplify something
• Artists began to move away from creating strict
Minimalist objects
• Conceptual art took over as art could exist as
solely an idea
Sol Le Witt said “Minimalism wasn’t a real
idea—it ended before it started”
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MINIMALISM TODAY
• Post-Minimalism
• Architecture
• Furniture
• Lifestyle

14. CRITICISM
• Not the work of the artists
• No meaning
• Not creative
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• Art is too simple
• Art is too cold
• There is nothing to comment on
• No skill
• No talented required