Blog 1: Conceptual Art

The phrase “conceptual art” was formed when the classification of art was expanded outside of what was conventional. The idea behind conceptual art is to make the audience think deeply about what the artist is trying to convey. It seems to be something that people either greatly enjoy, or find horribly distasteful. These thoughts are provoked by that artist and are not a byproduct of the piece but the focus. Conceptual art is hard to define because of the broad specifications that fall under the category.

Conceptual art is the idea that art does not have to be aesthetically pleasing but art should rather be described as a provocation for argument. “The artwork is a process rather than a material thing, and as such it is no longer something that can be grasped merely by seeing, hearing or touching the end product of that process” (Schellekens). It then forces the audience to consider the role of the artist in the piece, and their role as an outsider. Because conceptual art is such an all-encompassing genre, the medium in which is can be expressed is limitless, but does in include such things as photography, film, bodies, events, and performances.

Similar to other genres, conceptual art is still produced today. However, the artistic movement of conceptual art began in 1966 and ended in 1972. During that time period, rebellion and protest were predominant with the rise of feminism and the Vietnam War being prevalent in people’s lives. It should come as no surprise that the artist would then protest the idea of art conforming to stringent standards. Some of the most famous artists of the time include Sol LeWitt, Michael Craig-Martin, Joseph Kosuth, and Marcel Duchamp, all known for their work in conceptual art.

Works Cited:
Schellekens, Elisabeth. "Conceptual Art." 7 June 2007. 27 October 2008 http://www.science.uva.nl/~seop/entries/conceptual-art/#ConArtWhaIt.

The Artists. "Modern & Contemporary artists and art." 27 October 2008 http://the-artists.org/Movementviewcfm?id=4F46309A-96D2-4C1A-9D2ECE2243C365B3&sub=2.

Tate Museum. "Conceptual Art." 27 October 2008 http://www.tate.org.uk/collections/glossary/definition.jsp?entryId=73.