FINAL #3 Minimalism

Question 1

Michael Fried *

Answer 1

• A student of Clement Greenberg, Michael Fried wrote the essay “Art and Objecthood.”
• He discusses Minimalism stating their intentions and defends why he doesn’t like it.
• He believes in medium specificity.
• He believes art should be separate from literal space.

Question 2

Minimalism *

Answer 2

• Is an art form that focus on gestalt (outline)… looks at objects as a whole not in parts.
• Also called ABC art or Literal Art
• It is theatrical
• Meant for an audience
• Is meant to provide an experience.
• Is more about presence
  > Meaning that it is durational and mundane… it is a non narrative… with no end point… no resolve…
• It is about gestalt… the art as a whole and outline not the parts
• Includes specific objects (Judd)

Question 3

Theatricality *

Answer 3

• Needs an audience…
• In relation to minimalism, it is about the experience.
• Tony Smith (a minimalist) references an experience he had while driving on the New Jersey turnpike.
  > Feels that art is small and constraining. He wants to expand it and make it part of everyday life. There is no hierarchy to him. According to minimalists, art shouldn’t be better than our everyday lives. This why much of there are involves being literal and repetitive.
• Fried opposes this - he believes in medium specificity.
  > He believes that art is meant to pull you out of your everyday life. Art must be separate from everyday experience and should bring grace into our lives. It is meant to pull us out of the mundane.
• Art and Theater at war b/c art can stand on it’s own and theater needs an audience.

Question 4

Presence *

Answer 4

• Characteristic of Minimalist art

- has presence b/c of audience. It is ongoing, boundless in time. It is mundane and part of daily life.

Question 5

Presentness *

Answer 5

• Characteristic of high modernist art according to Fried
• an experience that transcends you out of the continuous flow. It is an experience not grounded in daily life. It is an instantaneous and simultaneous experience.
• Grace

Question 6

Objecthood *

Answer 6

• When something begins to attain characteristics of being an ordinary object.
• According to Fried Minimalist Art have this quality. The work mixes the literal world and art turning the pieces in objects.

Question 7

Gestalt *

Answer 7

• Characteristic of Minimalist Art
• It’s how we experience the world.
• When you break down an object there are parts to it but when we overall look at an object we just see it as a whole - we view things as enclosed or outlined objects.
• In relation to art, Judd (Minimalist artist) says that you 1st should see the picture as a whole then the parts.
• Fried believes the opposite - we should see the parts/shapes/images in the art then the object as a whole.
  > This relates to his view that art should not be a part of literal space.
• Fried is against Minimalism. He thinks literal space and art space should be kept separate.
• Minimalists believe art should move into literal space.

Question 8

Fried’s view on High Modern Art

Answer 8

• Autonomous art… it can stand on it’s own… painting can stand on its own.
• It has presentness… it has grace and it pulls you out of everyday mundane life.
  > It is instantaneous and has conviction.
  > It transports you.
• Shapes have a compositional arrangement.
• Paintings avoid referencing the edge.
• Is centripetal

Question 9

Fried’s view on Minimalism

Answer 9

• It is theatrical and needs an audience.
• It seeks gestalt.
• It is durational… non narrative and give a since of endlessness b/c of repetitive quality.
• It has presence
  > focuses on mundane and daily experience.
  > it is only interesting…. but Fried believes art shouldn’t be merely interesting.
• involves “specific objects”… object in a specific situation *(word coined by Judd)… ex factory finished art
• Is Objecthood
• Is centrifugal