1. Minimalism

2. Serial Forms and Repetition
MoMA Minimalism Theme

3. Yayoi Kusama. Accumulation of Stamps, 63. 1962.
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When she was a girl, Yayoi Kusama had hallucinations of flowers, dots, and nets—“the same pattern covering the ceiling, the windows, and the walls, and finally all over the room, my body, and the universe.” She has said that her use of repeated forms, in this case store-bought labels and stickers, grows out of her struggle with these hallucinations caused by mental illness. She does not consider her art to be an end in itself. Instead it serves a personal function: “I am pursuing my art in order to correct the disability which began during my childhood.” The repetition required to make collages like this one are reflected in Kusama’s titles, which often include the words accumulation and infinity.
Yayoi Kusama. Accumulation of Stamps,
Pasted labels and ink on paper, 23 3⁄4 x 29" (60.3 x 73.6 cm).
Gift of Philip Johnson.
© 2012 Yayoi Kusama 
Yayoi Kusama. Accumulation of Stamps,
MoMA Minimalism Theme

4. Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III. 1968.
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Repetition Nineteen III is composed of 19 translucent, bucket-like forms, each approximately 20 inches tall. Minimalist artists explored serial repetition of identical units, but Hesse loosened that principle. Her forms are handmade and irregular rather than manufactured and hard-edged. They are similar to one another in size and shape, but none of them are exactly alike. Repetition Nineteen III sits directly on the gallery floor. Hesse was flexible about the arrangement of the nineteen units that make up this work. She did not give specific instructions about how her work was to be arranged, so its overall shape varies with each installation.
Hesse used a wide range of materials to make her sculptural works. She was drawn to newly developed materials like fiberglass, which hadn’t been used for sculpture before Hesse began working with it. Aware of the instability of materials like fiberglass, which discolors and deteriorates over time, Hesse said, “Life doesn’t last; art doesn’t last. It doesn’t matter.”
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III
Fiberglass and polyester resin, 19 units, Each 19 to 20 1/4" (48 to 51 cm) x 11 to 12 3/4" (27.8 to 32.2 cm) in diameter.
Gift of Charles and Anita Blatt.
© 2012 Estate of Eva Hesse. Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Zurich
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III
MoMA Minimalism Theme

5. Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III. 1968.
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The next four slides are preliminary drawings made by Eva Hesse for Repetition Nineteen III. 
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III
Fiberglass and polyester resin, 19 units, Each 19 to 20 1/4" (48 to 51 cm) x 11 to 12 3/4" (27.8 to 32.2 cm) in diameter. Gift of Charles and Anita Blatt.
© 2012 Estate of Eva Hesse. Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Zurich
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III
MoMA Minimalism Theme

6. Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen, Second of 3 versions. 1967.
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Take a close look at each of these drawings.
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen, Second of 3 versions
Pen and ink on transparentized paper, 8 7/8 x 11 7/8" (22.5 x 30.3 cm).
Gift of the Eva Hesse Estate.
© 2011 Reproduced with the permission of the Estate of Eva Hesse. Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Zurich
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen, Second of 3 versions
MoMA Minimalism Theme

7. Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen. 1967.
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What problems do you think Eva Hesse was trying to work out in these drawings?
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen
Pencil on graph paper, 10 7/8 x 8 1/2" (27.9 x 21.6 cm).
Gift of the Eva Hesse Estate.
© 2011 Reproduced with the permission of the Estate of Eva Hesse. Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Zurich
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen
MoMA Minimalism Theme

8. Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen I. 1967-68.
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Do these drawing studies give you any more information about the final three-dimensional fiberglass Repetition Nineteen III?
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen I
Gouache, watercolor, and pencil on paper, 11 1/8 x 14 7/8" (28.4 x 37.8 cm).
Gift of the Eva Hesse Estate.
© 2011 Reproduced with the permission of the Estate of Eva Hesse. Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Zurich
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen I
MoMA Minimalism Theme

9. Let’s compare these two versions of Repetition Nineteen
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen I
The earlier version is made with paper maché, aluminum screen and paint. The latter version is made with fiberglass.
How do the materials change the piece?
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The earlier version is made with paper maché, aluminum screen and paint. The latter version is made with fiberglass. Why do you think she made variations of the piece with different materials. How do the materials change the piece? How does the way the pieces are photographed change the way you perceive the piece?
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen I
Paint and papier-mâché on aluminum screening, 19 units (one missing), Each 9 1/8 to 10 1/2" (23.2 to 26.6 cm) x 6 1/2 to 9 1/8" (16.5 to 23.2 cm) in diameter.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Murray Charash.
© 2011 Estate of Eva Hesse. Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Zurich
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III
Fiberglass and polyester resin, nineteen units, Each 19 to 20 1/4" (48 to 51 cm) x 11 to 12 3/4" (27.8 to 32.2 cm) in diameter.
Gift of Charles and Anita Blatt.
Eva Hesse. Repetition Nineteen III
MoMA Minimalism Theme

10. “The serial artist does not attempt to produce a beautiful or mysterious object but functions merely as a clerk cataloging the results of his premise.”
– Sol LeWitt
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Why do you think LeWitt decided to name this piece Serial Project., I (ABCD)?
Sol LeWitt. Serial Project, I (ABCD) Baked enamel on steel units over baked enamel on aluminum, 20" x 13' 7" x 13' 7" (50.8 x x cm).
Gift of Agnes Gund and purchase (by exchange).
© 2012 Sol LeWitt/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Sol LeWitt. Serial Project, I (ABCD)
MoMA Minimalism Theme

11. “The serial artist does not attempt to produce a beautiful or mysterious object but functions merely as a clerk cataloging the results of his premise.”
– Sol LeWitt
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“The serial artist does not attempt to produce a beautiful or mysterious object but functions merely as a clerk cataloging the results of his premise.” ­– Sol LeWitt
Can you see how LeWitt is following a strategy for showing all possible combinations of cubes here? What are the Three different kinds of cubes he is using? Are all the variations shown here, or is this just a portion of the possible arrangements? He says that a serial artist catalogs the results of a premise.
Sol LeWitt. (332) From all Three-Part Variations on Three Different Kinds of Cubes
Painted polystyrene, six parts, Each 12 x 4 x 4" (30.5 x 10.2 x 10.2 cm), on polystyrene strip, 44 x 4" (111.8 x 10.2 cm), on wooden base, 3/4 x 52 x 11 7/8" (1.9 x x 30.2 cm); overall, 12 3/4 x 52 x 11 7/8" (32.5 x x 30.2 cm).
Ruth Vollmer Bequest.
© 2012 Sol LeWitt / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Sol LeWitt. (332) From all Three-Part Variations on Three Different Kinds of Cubes
MoMA Minimalism Theme

12. The Materials of Minimalism
MoMA Minimalism Theme

13. What are characteristics that Untitled (Stack) shares with painting.
What characteristics does it share with sculpture?
Consider formal traits such as line, shape, color, materials and dimensionality.
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Although it is hung on a wall like a painting, Untitled (Stack) projects nearly three feet from the wall and climbs like rungs on a ladder from floor to ceiling. It is made of galvanized iron boxes, all identical and of equal importance. The space around the boxes is also important. The sides are covered with commercially available green lacquer paint typically used to customize Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The tops and bottoms are bare metal. Each of the 12 boxes is nine inches high, and they are spaced nine inches apart.   
Judd ignored traditional craft skills in favor of an overriding system or idea. He wanted his work to suggest an industrial production line. In fact, Judd had his works made in a factory in order to obtain a perfect finish without having to rework the material. The box was one of Judd’s favorite forms, because he felt it was neutral and had no symbolic meaning.
Donald Judd. Untitled (Stack)
Lacquer on galvanized iron, 12 units, each 9 x 40 x 31" (22.8 x x 78.7 cm), installed vertically with 9" (22.8 cm) intervals.
Helen Acheson Bequest (by exchange) and gift of Joseph Helman
Donald Judd. Untitled (Stack)
MoMA Minimalism Theme

14. What are the similarities and differences between Judd and Kusama?
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Donald Judd made this work of art from galvanized iron and green paint. It's hung on a wall like a painting, but projects nearly three feet from the wall and the forms are repeated from floor to ceiling.
What are the similarities and differences between Kusama's work and Donald Judd's?
Are they each like paintings or sculptures or something else altogether?
Compare the different roles the artists played in making these two works.
Donald Judd. Untitled (Stack)
Lacquer on galvanized iron, 12 units, each 9 x 40 x 31" (22.8 x x 78.7 cm), installed vertically with 9" (22.8 cm) intervals.
Helen Acheson Bequest (by exchange) and gift of Joseph Helman
Yayoi Kusama. Accumulation of Stamps,
Pasted labels and ink on paper, 23 3⁄4 x 29" (60.3 x 73.6 cm).
Gift of Philip Johnson.
© 2012 Yayoi Kusama
Yayoi Kusama. Accumulation of Stamps,
Donald Judd. Untitled (Stack)
MoMA Minimalism Theme

15. “One might not think of light as a matter of fact, but I do
“One might not think of light as a matter of fact, but I do. And it is…as plain and open and direct an art as you will ever find.”
– Dan Flavin
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Dan Flavin said: “One might not think of light as a matter of fact, but I do. And it is…as plain and open and direct an art as you will ever find."
Flavin did not consider his works to be sculptures, because they consist not only of the physical object (the fluorescent tube) but also of the space illuminated by the light. When the light emitted touches people or objects or a reflecting plane, such as a wall, floor, or ceiling, it illuminates and colors these as well. Flavin’s work unites color with light and space, bringing color into three dimensions and transforming the surrounding space.
The colors and lengths of the fluorescent tubes Flavin used for this piece were determined by what was commercially available at the time. Fluorescent lights, like all lights, have a finite lifespan. When a museum acquires a work by Flavin, it receives an artist’s certificate indicating specifications for replacement tubes, which it purchases when necessary, to extend the life of the work.
Dan Flavin. Monument 1 for V. Tatlin
Fluorescent lights and metal fixtures, 8' x 23 1/8" x 4 1/2" (243.8 x 58.7 x 10.8 cm).
Gift of UBS.
© 2012 Estate of Dan Flavin/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Dan Flavin. Monument 1 for V. Tatlin
MoMA Minimalism Theme

16. Let’s compare these two artworks.
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This is the first of Flavin's 39 "monuments" to the Russian artist Vladimir Tatlin. The stepped arrangement of white fluorescent tubes evokes Tatlin’s Colossal Monument to the Third International (1920). Tatlin's ambitious but unrealized project to unite art and technology was of particular interest to Flavin, who also worked with art and the technology of his time.
Vladimir Tatlin and Nikolai Punin. Pamiatnik III Internatsionala
Cover with letterpress illustration on front; one letterpress illustration, page: 11 x 8 5/8" (28 x 21.9 cm). Publisher: Izo NKP, Petersburg. Edition: unknown.
Gift of The Judith Rothschild Foundation
Dan Flavin. Monument 1 for V. Tatlin
Fluorescent lights and metal fixtures, 8' x 23 1/8" x 4 1/2" (243.8 x 58.7 x 10.8 cm).
Gift of UBS.
© 2012 Estate of Dan Flavin/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Vladimir Tatlin and Nikolai Punin. Pamiatnik III Internatsionala
Dan Flavin. Monument 1 for V. Tatlin
MoMA Minimalism Theme

17. Let’s compare Judd and Flavin.
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Consider how Flavin’s use of commercially available material relates to Judd’s work.
Are there any parallels regarding the choices these two artists’ made?
Donald Judd. Untitled (Stack)
Lacquer on galvanized iron, 12 units, each 9 x 40 x 31" (22.8 x x 78.7 cm), installed vertically with 9" (22.8 cm) intervals.
Helen Acheson Bequest (by exchange) and gift of Joseph Helman
Dan Flavin. Monument 1 for V. Tatlin
Fluorescent lights and metal fixtures, 8' x 23 1/8" x 4 1/2" (243.8 x 58.7 x 10.8 cm).
Gift of UBS.
© 2012 Estate of Dan Flavin/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Donald Judd. Untitled (Stack)
Dan Flavin. Monument 1 for V. Tatlin
MoMA Minimalism Theme

18. Frank Stella. The Marriage of Reason and Squalor, II. 1959.
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The title of this work is The Marriage of Reason and Squalor, II. Define the words marriage, reason and squalor.
Consider how these words relate to the formal qualities of the work. How does the title affect the way you understand the work?
Stella used commercial black enamel paint and a house painter’s brush to make The Marriage of Reason and Squalor, II. The thick black bands are the same width as the paintbrush he used. The thin white lines are not painted; they are gaps between the black bands in which the raw canvas is visible. Stella painted the black bands parallel to each other, and to the canvas’s edges, rejecting expressive brushstrokes in favor of an overall structure that recognized the canvas as both a flat surface and a three-dimensional object.
About his manner of painting, Stella famously said, “My painting is based on the fact that only what can be seen there is there… What you see is what you see.” Instead of painting something recognizable, Stella’s painting is about the act of painting, and its result.
Frank Stella. The Marriage of Reason and Squalor, II
Enamel on canvas, 7' 6 3⁄4" x 11' 3⁄4" (230.5 x cm).
Larry Aldrich Foundation Fund.
© 2012 Frank Stella/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Frank Stella. The Marriage of Reason and Squalor, II
MoMA Minimalism Theme

19. Constructing Space
MoMA Minimalism Theme

20. “Even though it seemed it might collapse, it was in fact freestanding
“Even though it seemed it might collapse, it was in fact freestanding. You could see through it, look into in, walk around it, and I thought, ‘There’s no getting around it. This is sculpture.’”
– Richard Serra
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Reconsider your definitions of sculpture in relation to these works of art. How do they define space? How do they engage viewers in the space? 
This sculpture is titled One Ton Prop (House of Cards). Define the elements that compose the title: ton, prop, and house of cards.
What does each word or phrase suggest?
How do they relate to each other, and how might they relate to this work?
Of this work, Serra said: “Even though it seemed it might collapse, it was in fact freestanding. You could see through it, look into in, walk around it, and I thought, ‘There’s no getting around it. This is sculpture.’” How does Serra’s statement relate to your definition of sculpture? 
Richard Serra. One Ton Prop (House of Cards) (refabricated 1986).
Lead antimony, four plates, each 48 x 48 x 1" (122 x 122 x 2.5 cm). Gift of the Grinstein Family.
© 2012 Richard Serra/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Richard Serra. One Ton Prop (House of Cards) (refabricated 1986).
MoMA Minimalism Theme

21. Richard Serra. Equal (Corner Prop Piece). 1969-70.
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In what ways is One Ton Prop (House of Cards) similar to this other work by Richard Serra?
Richard Serra. Equal (Corner Prop Piece)
Lead antinomy, Plate 48 x 48 x 3/4" (122 x 122 x 2 cm), pole 7' 1/4" (210 cm) long x 4 3/4" (11 cm) in diameter.
Gilman Foundation Fund.
© 2012 Richard Serra / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Richard Serra. Equal (Corner Prop Piece)
MoMA Minimalism Theme

22. “Felt has anatomical associations…it relates to the body—it's skinlike
– Robert Morris
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Robert Morris was an innovator in tempering the hard-edged geometry of Minimalism with a literal softness. In works like this one, he used sheets of thick industrial felt and basic formal procedures (like a series of parallel cuts), followed by hanging, and then accepted whatever shape they took. In this way he left the overall configuration of the work to the medium itself, relinquishing his artistic control to gravity and inviting chance to play a role in creating a work of art.
The order and symmetry of the cut cloth is contradicted by the graceful sag at the top, which gives it some human qualities. "Felt has anatomical associations," Morris has said, "it relates to the body—it's skinlike."
Morris, who choreographed several dance performances based on the exploration of bodies in space in New York in the early 1960s, believes that the felt he used in his sculpture is “skinlike.”
Do you see any other relationships between this piece and the human body?
Robert Morris. Untitled
Felt, 15' 3/4" x 6' 1/2" x 1" (459.2 x x 2.5 cm).
The Gilman Foundation Fund.
© 2012 Robert Morris/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Robert Morris. Untitled
MoMA Minimalism Theme

23. Let’s compare Serra’s One Ton Prop (House of Cards) with Morris’s Untitled
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Compare and contrast Serra’s One Ton Prop (House of Cards) with Morris’s Untitled in terms of materials, lines, and shape. What role does gravity play in each of these sculptures?
Both Richard Serra and Robert Morris have likened the materials and forms of their artworks to the human body. Serra has related his Prop pieces, including One Ton Prop (House of Cards), to the body in terms of its reliance on balance and counterbalance, and he was inspired in part by experimental dance performances he saw in New York in the late 1960s.
Richard Serra. One Ton Prop (House of Cards) (refabricated 1986).
Lead antimony, four plates, each 48 x 48 x 1" (122 x 122 x 2.5 cm). Gift of the Grinstein Family.
© 2012 Richard Serra/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Robert Morris. Untitled
Felt, 15' 3/4" x 6' 1/2" x 1" (459.2 x x 2.5 cm).
The Gilman Foundation Fund.
© 2012 Robert Morris/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Richard Serra. One Ton Prop (House of Cards) (refabricated 1986).
Richard Serra. One Ton Prop (House of Cards) (refabricated 1986).
MoMA Minimalism Theme

24. Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns). 1963.
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As its title suggests, pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns) was made to be installed in a corner. When a viewer looks at the work for a sustained period of time in close proximity, the light creates the effect of a cylinder much wider than the tube itself. Made the year Flavin began to use commercially available fluorescent light tubes, (limited to what was commonly available at the time), this work marries color and light, bringing them into three dimensions. Flavin did not consider his works to be sculptures, because they consist not only of the physical object (the fluorescent tube) but also of the space illuminated by the light. When the light shining from the tube touches people or objects, it illuminates and colors these as well. Flavin’s work unites color with light and space, bringing color into three dimensions and transforming the surrounding space.
Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns)
Fluorescent light and metal fixture, 8' x 6" x 5 3/8" (243.8 x 15.2 x 13.6 cm).
Gift of Philip Johnson. © 2012 Estate of Dan Flavin/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns)
MoMA Minimalism Theme

25. This work is dedicated to Jasper Johns,
whose painting Flag also blurred the boundaries between real objects and their representation.
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This work is dedicated to Jasper Johns, whose painting Flag also blurred the boundaries between real objects and their representation.
Dan Flavin frequently dedicated his works to other artists. Before he devoted himself full-time to making art, he was a guard at The Museum of Modern Art. Do you think his dedications had anything to do with all the time he spent with great works of art in his museum job? 
Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns)
Fluorescent light and metal fixture, 8' x 6" x 5 3/8" (243.8 x 15.2 x 13.6 cm).
Gift of Philip Johnson. © 2012 Estate of Dan Flavin/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Jasper Johns. Flag. 1954–55 (dated on reverse 1954).
Encaustic, oil, and collage on fabric mounted on plywood, three panels, 42 1/4 x 60 5/8" (107.3 x cm).
Gift of Philip Johnson in honor of Alfred H. Barr, Jr.
© 2012 Jasper Johns/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns)
Jasper Johns. Flag. 1954–55 (dated on reverse 1954).
MoMA Minimalism Theme

26. Barnett Newman. Vir Heroicus Sublimis. 1950-51.
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Dan Flavin’s early fluorescent works were influenced by the work of Abstract Expressionist painter Barnett Newman, who was known for his large color field paintings divided by vertical bands he called “zips.”
This painting, Vir Heroicus Sublimis, is nearly eighteen feet wide and envelops viewers with color. In what ways does Newman’s painting function similarly to Flavin’s fluorescent tubes?
Barnett Newman. Vir Heroicus Sublimis
Oil on canvas, 7' 11 3/8" x 17' 9 1/4" (242.2 x cm).
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Heller.
© 2012 Barnett Newman Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Barnett Newman. Vir Heroicus Sublimis
MoMA Minimalism Theme

27. Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns). 1963.
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Here the similarities between Flavin and Newman are hard to miss.
Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns)
Fluorescent light and metal fixture, 8' x 6" x 5 3/8" (243.8 x 15.2 x 13.6 cm).
Gift of Philip Johnson.
© 2012 Estate of Dan Flavin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Barnett Newman. Onement III
Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 33 1/2" (182.5 x 84.9 cm).
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Slifka.
© 2012 Barnett Newman Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Dan Flavin. pink out of a corner (to Jasper Johns)
Barnett Newman. Onement III
MoMA Minimalism Theme

28. Robert Smithson. Corner Mirror with Coral. 1969.
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Although Smithson was best known for his earthworks, sites in which he manipulated the natural landscape, Corner Mirror with Coral is an example of what he called a “non-site.” “Instead of putting a work of art on some land, some land is put into the work of art,” he said. Smithson’s non-sites sit directly on the floor of the museum rather than on pedestals. This was a huge break from tradition, instigated by Minimalist artists. In opposition to traditional museum display, the works become part of the viewer’s space rather than taking on a separate or elevated status.
This work is made from three square mirrors in a corner of a room—two perpendicular mirrors against each wall and one on the floor—and a small pile of pinkish-white coral. Given the shape of the coral’s reflection in the mirrors, what is the shape of the actual pile of coral?
Smithson acknowledged that viewers experience artworks with their bodies, not just with their sense of sight, and that their perceptions shift as they move through space. The reflections in Smithson’s mirrors change in direct relationship to the position of the viewer, so no two people experience it in precisely the same way.
Robert Smithson. Corner Mirror with Coral
Mirrors and coral, 36 x 36 x 36" (91.5 x 91.5 x 91.5 cm).
Fractional and promised gift of Agnes Gund.
Robert Smithson. Corner Mirror with Coral
MoMA Minimalism Theme

29. Share this information with your students:
Smithson is most well known for his earthworks, specifically Spiral Jetty. Can you find any similarities between Spiral Jetty and Corner Mirror with Coral?
Robert Smithson. Spiral Jetty. Rozel Point, Great Salt Lake, Utah. 1970
mud, precipitated salt crystals, rocks, water coil 1500' long and 15' wide Collection: DIA Center for the Arts, New York Photographer unknown
Robert Smithson. Spiral Jetty. Rozel Point, Great Salt Lake, Utah. 1970
MoMA Minimalism Theme