Artist Spotlight: Sol Lewitt | Sentences On Conceptual Art
When it comes to conceptual art its no secret that I’m a total fan boy. I love artists who consider deeply the conceptual impact of their artistic gestures, contemplations, and materials. I too believe that an objects value is largely driven by it’s conceptual rational, and that great ideas are to be considered great artworks. Sol Lewitt is someone that I studied extensively in my undergrad along with many others. However, his use of the written word as an instructional medium always fascinated me as it has allowed his work to be recreated and enjoyed even after his passing in 2007.
Who Was Sol Lewitt:
Sol LeWitt was an American artist associated with the Conceptual art movement. He was known for his large-scale wall drawings, which involved the precise execution of written instructions, often referred to as "procedures". He emphasized the idea behind the artwork over its physical execution, and believed that the process of creating art was as important as the final product. LeWitt's work continues to influence contemporary art and he is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the 20th century.
Sentences on Conceptual Art:
Sol LeWitt is famous for his "Sentences on Conceptual Art," a series of statements he wrote in 1968 that defined and explained the concept of Conceptual art. In these statements, LeWitt argued that the idea behind the work of art is more important than the physical object itself, and that the process of creating art is a critical part of its value.
These ideas challenged traditional notions of art and had a significant impact on the trajectory of art history. LeWitt's statements helped to establish Conceptual art as a new form of artistic expression and provided a foundation for other artists to build upon. Over time, Conceptual art became an influential movement that changed the way people thought about art, leading to new forms of artistic expression and the development of postmodern art.
Sol LeWitt's "Sentences on Conceptual Art" remain an important reference for artists and art students, and continue to influence contemporary artistic practices.
Sol LeWitt Sentences on Conceptual Art
Date: (1968)
Medium: Felt-tip pen on fifteen sheets of paper (one with pencil and ballpoint
pen), felt-tip pen on three postcards, and felt-tip pen on letterpress card
35 Sentences on Conceptual Art:
Conceptual Artists are mystics rather than rationalists. They leap to conclusions that logic cannot reach.
Rational judgements repeat rational judgements.
Illogical judgements lead to new experience.
Formal Art is essentially rational.
Irrational thoughts should be followed absolutely and logically.
If the artist changes his mind midway through the execution of the piece he compromises the result and repeats past results.
Theartist’swillissecondarytotheprocessheinitiatesfromideatocompletion.Hiswillfulness may only be ego.
When words such as painting and sculpture are used, they connote a whole tradition and imply a consequent acceptance of this tradition, thus placing limitations on the artist who would be reluctant to make art that goes beyond the limitations.
The concept and idea are different. The former implies a general direction while the latter is the components. Ideas implement the concept.
Ideas alone can be works of art; they are in a chain of development that may eventually find some form. All ideas need not be made physical.
Ideas do not necessarily proceed in logical order. They may set one off in unexpected directions but an idea must necessarily be completed in the mind before the next one is formed.
For each work of art that becomes physical there are many variations that do not.
A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist’s mind to the viewers. But it may never reach the viewer, or it may never leave the artist’s mind.
The words of one artist to another may induce an ideas chain, if they share the same concept.
Since no form is intrinsically superior to another, the artist may use any form, from an expres- sion of words (written or spoken), to physical reality, equally.
If words are used, and they proceed from ideas about art, then they are art and not literature; numbers are not mathematics.
All ideas are art if they are concerned with art and fall within the conventions of art.
One usually understands the art of the past by applying the conventions of the present thus misunderstanding the art of the past.
The conventions of art are altered by works of art.
Successful art changes our understanding of the conventions by altering our perceptions.
Perception of ideas leads to new ideas.
The artist cannot imagine his art, and cannot perceive it until it is complete.
One artist may mis-perceive (understand it differently than the artist) a work of art but still be set off in his own chain of thought by that misconstrual.
Perception is subjective.
The artist may not necessarily understand his own art. His perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.
An artist may perceive the art of others better than his own.
The concept of a work of art may involve the matter of the piece or the process in which it is made.
Once the idea of the piece is established in the artist’s mind and the final form is decided, the process is carried out blindly. There are many side effects that the artist cannot imagine. These may be used as ideas for new works.
The process is mechanical and should not be tampered with. It should run its course.
There are many elements involved in a work of art. The most important are the most obvious.
If an artist uses the same form in a group of works, and changes the material, one would assume the artist’s concept involved the material.
Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.
It is difficult to bungle a good idea.
When an artist learns his craft too well he makes slick art.
These sentences comment on art, but are not art.
https://monoskop.org/images/3/3d/LeWitt_Sol_1969_1999_Sentences_on_Conceptual_Art.pdf
This text first appeared in 0–9, no. 5 (January 1969), pp. 3–5.
