Saturday, April 9, 2011

"Sentences on Conceptual Art" by Sol LeWitt 1969

LeWitt's piece is a collection of 35 statements about conceptual art, some of which detail the artist's role and thought process, others of which read sort of as founding theories or tenets of the avant-garde movement.  LeWitt emphasizes that conceptual art is not logical.  It is rather the product of a beginning concept that often changes and evolves as things come to the artist during the process of creating the work.  Just an idea can be a work of art; it is not necessary to have a physical object as an outcome.  In this vein, the spoken or written word can also be employed in the creation of conceptual art.  Much of conceptual art is breaking away from tradition and the use of traditional materials (such as in painting and sculpture).  I was especially interested in LeWitt's last four statements:

"32   Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.
 33   It is difficult to bungle a good idea.
 34   When an artist learns his craft too well he makes slick art.
 35   These sentences comment on art, but are not art." 

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