9.1 Critiques of Minimalism and Conceptual Art: Michael Fried and Clement Greenberg

Minimalism and Conceptual Art faced harsh criticism from influential art critics Michael Fried and Clement Greenberg. They argued these movements undermined art's autonomy and purity, focusing too much on viewer experience and context rather than the artwork itself.

Despite the critiques, Minimalism and Conceptual Art continued to thrive. Artists defended their work, emphasizing the importance of viewer engagement and challenging traditional notions of artistic skill and expression. The debate sparked deeper discourse about art's purpose and boundaries.

Fried and Greenberg on Minimalism and Conceptual Art

Fried's Critique of Minimalism's Theatricality

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Top images from around the web for Fried's Critique of Minimalism's Theatricality

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  Ляхович, Валентина Антоновна — Википедия View original

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  Issue #21: “Art and Objecthood” at Fifty | nonsite.org View original

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  Ляхович, Валентина Антоновна — Википедия View original

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• Fried criticized Minimalist art for its emphasis on the viewer's experience rather than the artwork itself in his essay "Art and Objecthood" (1967)
• Argued that Minimalist art's focus on the viewer's encounter undermined the autonomy and self-sufficiency of the art object
• Claimed Minimalist art was more concerned with the situation in which the artwork was encountered, rather than the inherent qualities of the work itself
• Saw this as a departure from the modernist ideal of art as a self-contained, autonomous entity

Greenberg's Opposition to Minimalism and Conceptual Art

• Greenberg, a champion of Abstract Expressionism, expressed reservations about Minimalism and Conceptual Art
• Viewed these movements as a threat to the purity and autonomy of the medium, which he considered essential to the progress of modern art
• Argued that Minimalism's emphasis on the object's literal presence and its rejection of illusionism and representation marked a regression in the development of art
• Believed that art should aspire to a state of "pure opticality," focusing on the inherent properties of the medium rather than external references or concepts

Critiques of Minimalism and Conceptual Art

Fried's Argument Against Minimalism's Incompleteness

• Fried's critique centered on the idea that Minimalist artworks were incomplete without the viewer's presence and participation
• Argued that this reliance on the viewer's experience undermined the artwork's integrity and transformed it into a mere theatrical prop
• Believed the temporality and duration of the viewer's encounter with Minimalist art were antithetical to the instantaneous and timeless nature of genuine aesthetic experience
• Saw Minimalism as a challenge to the modernist notion of the artwork as a self-contained, autonomous entity

Greenberg's Critique of Medium Specificity

• Greenberg's opposition stemmed from his belief in the importance of medium specificity
• Argued that Minimalism and Conceptual Art disregarded the unique properties and limitations of each artistic medium, blurring the boundaries between art forms
• Saw Minimalism's emphasis on the literal, physical presence of the artwork as a rejection of the optical and pictorial qualities essential to the progress of modern art
• Believed this focus on literalism and objecthood represented a regression in the development of art

Impact of Critiques on Art Movements

Continued Growth and Recognition of Minimalism and Conceptual Art

• Despite the influential nature of Fried and Greenberg's critiques, Minimalism and Conceptual Art continued to thrive and gain recognition in the art world
• Many artists and supporters viewed the critiques as misunderstandings or misinterpretations of their intentions
• The debates sparked by the essays helped generate further discourse and analysis, contributing to a deeper understanding and appreciation of these movements

Refinement of Ideas and Development of New Frameworks

• The critiques prompted artists to refine their ideas and articulate their positions more clearly
• Led to the development of new theoretical frameworks and artistic strategies
• Over time, the influence of Fried and Greenberg's critiques has diminished, as Minimalism and Conceptual Art have become firmly established as significant movements in modern and contemporary art

Fried and Greenberg vs Artists and Supporters

Differing Priorities: Autonomy vs Viewer Experience

• Fried and Greenberg emphasized the importance of the artwork's autonomy and self-sufficiency
• Minimalist and Conceptual artists prioritized the viewer's experience and the context in which the work was encountered
• Artists saw the artwork as a catalyst for intellectual and perceptual engagement rather than a self-contained entity

Minimalist Artists' Defense of Their Works

• Minimalist artists (Donald Judd, Robert Morris) argued that their works were not incomplete or theatrical
• Sought to heighten the viewer's awareness of space, materials, and the act of perception itself
• Rejected the notion of art as a vehicle for emotional expression or illusion, focusing on the literal presence of the object

Conceptual Artists' Emphasis on Ideas Over Form

• Conceptual artists (Joseph Kosuth, Lawrence Weiner) prioritized the idea or concept behind the artwork over its formal or material properties
• Challenged traditional notions of artistic skill and craftsmanship, arguing that the intellectual content of the work was paramount

Supporters' Defense of Minimalism and Conceptual Art

• Supporters (Lucy Lippard, John Chandler) defended these movements as legitimate and progressive developments in the history of art
• Argued that Fried and Greenberg's critiques were based on a narrow, formalist understanding of art that failed to account for the broader cultural and intellectual context
• While Fried and Greenberg saw these movements as a threat to the purity and autonomy of the medium, artists and supporters viewed them as a means of expanding the boundaries of art and engaging with the complexities of the modern world