Minimalism originated in the 1960s as a reaction to abstract expressionism. It emphasizes simplicity, absence of emotion and ornamentation. Key artists include Donald Judd, Frank Stella and Agnes Martin. Minimalist architecture by designers like Tadao Ando focuses on essential materials and relationships with nature. Minimalist design applies clean lines, neutral colors and open spaces to interiors, furniture and products. Photography strives for simplicity while retaining significance, and minimalist music uses repetition and gradual transformation.
2. INTRODUCTION
Started in 1960s in U.S.
It was the reaction to Abstract Expressionism.
The forms are abstract, clean, simple, and are machine
made.
Described in art, design and music.
Influenced by Japanese traditional design and
architecture.
3. PHILOSOPHY
Eliminate emotion, meanings and indications.
Creation of singularity.
Move away from alternate perceptions.
Less is more.
4. ARTISTS
Donald Judd
John McCracken
Agnes Martin
Dan Flavin
Robert Morris
Anne Truitt
Frank Stella
Anthony Caro
5. MINIMALISTIC PAINTINGS
Geometry and symmetry is
considered.
No depiction of any emotion. Frank Stella, Die Fahne
Hoch!, 1959, Whitney Museum of
American Art
Frank Stella Harran II 1967 '23', oil on canvas
painting by John
McCracken,
1964, Smithsonian
American Art Museum
6. MINIMALISTIC SCUPTURE
Sun Feast 1969-70 by Anthony Caro. Steel
painted yellow 181.5 x 416.5 x 218.5 cm.
Courtesy of Barford Sculptures Ltd.
Donald Judd stacks
A Wall for Apricots, 1968 bu
Anne Truitt
Creation of singularity.
Zero ornamentation.
Geometric
8. DESIGN ELEMENTS AND CONCEPTS
The considerations for ‘essences’
are light, form, detail of material,
space, place and human
condition.
Minimalist architects not only
consider the physical qualities of
the building but also look deeply
into the spiritual dimension and
the invisible, by listening to the
figure and paying attention to the
details, people, space, nature and
materials, which reveals the
abstract quality of something that
is invisible and search for the
essence from those invisible
qualities.
Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Kobe by
Tadao Ando
9. For example: natural
light, sky, earth and air.
In addition, they open
up dialogue with the
surrounding
environment to decide
the most essential
materials for the
construction and create
relationships between
buildings and sites.
CLA Building at Cal Poly Pomona,Pomona,
California by Antonie Predock
Therme Vals, Switzerland by Peter Zumthor
10. INTERIORS AND DECORS
Minimalism in interior design means
spacious rooms with minimum of
furniture and details.
The main element of this style is
attention to shape, color and texture.
Planning doesn’t suppose dividing into
rooms; furniture, cloth or glass
partitions play the role of separators.
In modern minimalism design accent
is made on sharp geometric shapes
and asymmetry. Shape prevails over
purpose.
Furniture must have streamline
shapes and upholstered with neutral
colored leather.
Minimalistic modern living room
Minimalistic modern staircase
11. Shiny surfaces and
straight lines look
amazing in this interior.
Details should be
made of stainless steel
or chrome.
The amount of
accessories should be
minimal. Floor should
be made of materials
that are easy to clean
and take care of –
wood, linoleum or
stone tile. It’s
necessary to foresee
enough space to keep
all your stuff (simply
designed wardrobe
would be just great).
Minimalistic modern bathroom
Minimalistic modern kitchen
12. FURNITURE DESIGNERS
A.G. Fronzoni (Italy, 1923 – 2022)
Tokujin Yoshioka (Japan, 1967)
Peter Wigglesworth(Switzerland)
Ronald Knol (The Netherlands)
ROLU, Rosenl of Lucs (USA)
Vincent van Duysen (Belgium),
Luke Wong (USA)
Andreas Engevik (Norway).
13. FURNITURES
The minimalist
approach to furniture
and decor is one I
come back to time
and time again.
Whether or not you
actually intend to live
with the concept, I
think most of us are
drawn to the clean
lines and quiet yet
strong presence that
minimalist pieces
deliver without fuss —
as the saying goes,
"Clear space, clear
mind."
Honey-pop arm chair by
Tokujin Yoshioka
Subjectivity by A. G. Fronzoni
Minimalistic desk
14. INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS
Naoto Fukasawa (Japan, 1956)
Jonathan Ive (U.K., 1967)
John Pawson (U.K., 1949)
Oki Sato a.k.a. Nendo (Japan, 1977)
Tokujin Yoshioka (Japan, 1967)
Daniel Rybakken (Norway)
Minimalux(U.K.)
Thomas Wagner (Denmark).
15. PRODUCTS
The products
are designed
very
minimalisticall
y but in the
process, few
somehow lose
their identity.
Minimalistic timer
Minimalistic bicycle
Minimalistic cell toilet Minimalistic tape
16. PHOTOGRAPHERS
Andreas Gursky, enormous architecture and
landscape color photography (Germany,
1955)
Michael Kenna, black and white landscape
photography (U.K., 1953)
Hiroshi Sugimoto (Japan/USA, 1948)
Grant Hamilton (USA)
Hans Hiltermann (The Netherlands).
17. PHOTOGRAPHY
Contrary to what it may seem at a first glance, minimalism in
photography is open to a lot of creativity, while, of course, the
rules of minimalism are applied.
The less is more phrase doesn’t exist for nothing, in
photography it means that the whole attention is brought towards
the subject of the photo, without various elements in the photo
which would distract the viewer from the center of attention.
18. The elements that are put into the photo are kept to a
minimum, but the ones that are present should be significant
to the overall idea and symbolism of the photo.
19. MUSIC
Minimal music is a style of music
associated with the work of American
composers La Monte Young, Terry
Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. It
originated in the New York Downtown
scene of the 1960s and was initially viewed
as a form of experimental music called
the New York Hypnotic School.
Prominent features of the style
include consonant harmony, steady pulse (if
not immobile drones), stasis or gradual
transformation, and often reiteration of
musical phrases or smaller units such
as figures, motifs, and cells.
It may include features such as additive
process and phase shifting which leads to
what has been termed phase music. Minimal
compositions that rely heavily on process
techniques that follow strict rules are usually
described using the term process music.
20. Starting in the early 1960s
as a scruffy underground
scene in San Francisco
alternative spaces and
New York lofts,
minimalism spread to
become the most popular
experimental music style
of the late 20th century.
The movement originally
involved dozens of
composers, although only
five (Young, Riley, Reich,
Glass, and later John
Adams) emerged to
become publicly
associated with American
minimal music. In Europe,
the music of Louis
Andriessen, Karel
Goeyvaerts, Michael
Nyman, Gavin
Bryars, Steve
Martland, Henryk
Górecki, Arvo Pärt,
and John Tavener exhibits
minimalist traits.