Conceptual Art
Conceptual art emerged in the late 1960s, prioritising the idea or concept behind the piece over the actual art object.
Conceptual art, or conceptualism, was formed in the late 1960s, and focused on ideas (i.e. concepts) and theories more than making visual works. In 1967, artist Sol LeWitt named this new type of art ‘conceptual art’ in his essay ‘Paragraphs on Conceptual Art’. He said, "The idea itself, even if not shown visually, is just as much art as any finished thing." Conceptual artists used their art to challenge the idea of what art is, and to criticise the ideas behind how art is made, shared, and shown.
12 results found for "Conceptual Art"
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman is a hallmark of 20th-century art. Since the 1970s she’s taken pictures of herself as different ‘types’ of people from American culture and beyond. In this Artist’s Artist, we look at how the representation of women in popular culture shaped her history-making career.
Anna Ridler – What's it worth?
Conceptual artist Anna Ridler has been using artificial intelligence and machine learning for over a decade. Her work with tulips explores value, speculation and desire.
Hank Willis Thomas & Jesse Owens – Running into history
Conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas explores success, power and oppression, specifically, how these ideas play out in the legacy of African American Olympian, Jesse Owens.
X Marks the Spot – A history of collaboration in art and fashion
From Dali x Schiaparelli to Kusama x Louis Vuitton, fashion and art collaborations go way back. As Fashion Week begins, discover the history behind some of the most iconic cultural collaborations.
Lawrence Weiner
For Lawrence Weiner, art should do three things: ask questions, communicate an idea, and be useful for people.
Elizabeth Peyton
Since the birth of art, humans have painted themselves. But what do portraits mean today? And how do they continue to capture precious moments of history?
Jenny Holzer: HURT EARTH
In a series of monumental light projections, HURT EARTH, art icon Jenny Holzer prompts urgent environmental action. Words from more than 40 global climate activists appear across the UK to coincide with COP26.
Avant Arte & For Freedoms
Our collaboration with the trailblazing, artist-run collective.
Tyler Hobbs
Tyler Hobbs was born in 1987 in Austin, Texas, where he currently lives and works.
Jean-Michel Othoniel
Jean-Michel Othoniel was born in 1964 in Saint-Étienne, France, and is now based in Paris.
Actual Size
SPAM takes flight in a print by Ed Ruscha.Ed Ruscha painted Actual Size in 1962 at a similar time to sonic, one word paintings like Oof, Smash and Honk. In its use of a household brand, Actual Size also draws connections with everyday consumerism and with Ruscha's larger scale appropriations, like the Hollywood sign.The painting brings to life “SPAM in a can” – a phrase coined by journalists to describe astronauts sent to space in self-piloting rockets. Its title is lifted from the world of advertising, circling the true-to-life dimensions of its flying subject. These layers speak to Ruscha’s flair for dual meanings and deadpan humour. Actual Size plays an important part in the history of both Pop Art and Conceptual Art, propelling it to become one of Ruscha’s most iconic paintings. To coincide with a retrospective at LACMA, it has been transformed into a limited edition print. Proceeds will support the museum’s future.
Who Taught You To Love?
For American conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, art is a means to visualise a message. His expansive practice investigates the intersections of race, identity, collective consciousness and consumerism.Launched as part of a wider collaboration between Avant Arte and artist-run collective For Freedoms, the edition reprises Thomas’ billboard design for the organisation’s 2020 Awakening Campaign. Find out more about the Avant Arte × For Freedoms collaboration.
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