Geometries On and Off the Grid: Art from 1950 to the Present, 2015; Gallery 1: work by Anne Truitt, Charlotte Posenenske, and Ellsworth Kelly

Minimalism is a broad category of art, most often associated with American artists working in the 1960s like Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Robert Morris, Richard Serra, and Carl Andre. A term many of the artists objected to, Minimalism and minimalist aesthetics refer to the strategy of reducing forms (often sculptural) to their most basic elements. "With minimalism, no attempt is made to represent an outside reality, the artist wants the viewer to respond only to what is in front of them." (Tate.org) For this session, we will look at the work of Donald Judd along with other artists that worked with this strategy, including Richard Serra, Anne Truitt, and Charlotte Posenenske.

Donald Judd (American, 1928–1994). Untitled, 1965. Stainless steel with fluorescent plexiglass. 20 x 48 x 34 inches (50.8 x 121.9 x 86.4 cm). The Rachofsky Collection

To prepare, please read Donald Judd's "Specific Objects" from 1965, focusing on marked sections (click here for annotated essay). You can find more information about Donald Judd, including interviews and examples of his work, on the website for his 2020 exhibition Judd at MoMA here. Lastly, explore the Instagram account for Anne Truitt here, which has quotes from Truitt's writings along with photographs of her work.

Anne Truitt (American, 1921–2004 ). Valley Forge, 1963. Acrylic on wood. 60 1/2 x 60 1/4 x 12 inches (153.7 x 153 x 30.5 cm). The Rachofsky Collection