Conceptual art is any work that questions the meaning of art itself. It may not be recognisable as art. A pile of candies on the floor may be art (Felix Gonzales-Torres did that) or a word written on a wall. It may only exist for a moment, and survive afterward in notes or photographs, which document the work without being the work itself. Confused? Even the Conceptualists couldn't hit on a coherent definition. People have always asked questions about art (such as "You paid how much for that!?") but art that asks its own questions may safely be considered Conceptual. Use the term whevenever you see a work you don't quite understand; chances are, you'll be right.
Genesis
Conceptualism emerged in the 1950's, but it drew inspiration from much further back in the century. The Dada movement, particularly the work of Marcel Duchamp, is often sited as a foretaste of conceptualism. Duchamp epecially among Dadaists drew attention to the nature of art by challenging the established definitions. His work Fountain (1917), which consists of a urinal signed 'R Mutt' shocked critics and public alike. Could a mass-produced object become art simply because an artist signed it? Duchamp produced many of these 'readymades', seperating the work of art from the oft-revered 'artist's touch'.
Some Conceptual concepts
The Object
Conceptual art is, in part, a rebellion against the commercial art world. Great artworks can become icons, even fetishes, and this devotion may spread to any work by a great artist. Why should a poor work by a great artist be valued more than an outstanding work by a lesser artist? What is so important about 'the artists touch'?
Some Conceptual artists sought ways to avoid this worshipful attitude, by creating works that have little or no physical presence. A performance piece, for example, exists physically while it is being performed; once the performance is over, there is nothing to hang on the wall. Documentation, such as photographs of a piece being performed, or a written list of instructions, may survive, but these are not the work of art itself. Sol LeWitt designs large wall drawings, but these works are executed by others.
As with all good rebels, those Conceptualists who did not create solid artworks expected to be poor, as they had nothing to sell. However, if the core of the work is the idea, the design, that might be sold. Collectors began purchasing these 'unbuyable'works.
The Idea
Conceptual art is based on the idea; so is all art, at an elementary level. But Conceptualism often relies on systems or patterns that are set in motion by the artist and allowed to generate work with little interference.
Consider Abstract Expressionism, perhaps the antithesis of Conceptualism in certain ways. A Jackson Pollock, for example, is created in the moment, dripped onto the canvas with little forethought. It is about emotion and creation; it is composed on the canvas. A Conceptual work may rely on a formula that dictates the end result even before the work is executed. Serialism, where a number of works convey the different variations on an idea - think of Andy Warhol's paintings of Campbell's soup cans - is involved here. (Serialism is a concept, and not a movement.) There are always arbitrary choices involved, but reliance on systems (often referred to by the uninformative terms 'uncomposition'or 'noncomposition'is a hallmark of much Conceptual art.
Art after Conceptualism
Conceptualism, even more than other -isms, was not a conscious movement. Like Impressionism is grew out of a number of artists exploring similar ideas, and from the tenor of the times. Both movements contained a dislike for the contemporary state of the art world. But Conceptualism signifies a way or ways of approaching the creation of an artwork.
Other groups, or loose groupings of artists, emerged around the same time. Minimalism, which is as much about the use of materials as the content of the work, overlaps Conceptualism quite a lot. Both Sol LeWitt and Carl Andre have been called Minimalists. Performance art, though also drawing inspiration from Dada, blossomed during the same time. Video art began to emerge also, but that has more to do with the development of video equipment. Bruce Nauman is an artist who has produced many video works, and could be considered a Conceptualist.
Many artists use Conceptualist approaches today who might not be strictly termed Conceptualist artists. Thus, though the heyday of Conceptualism ended in the 1970's, the Conceptualist idea continues.
Links
For a closer study of Carl Andres Stone Field Sculpture you can read this Guide entry.
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