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SATURDAY EVENING POST
April 13th, 2024
In a rather intriguing train of thought, the concept of Barnett Newman's "Onement" emerged, provoking reflections on the engagement of minimalist art with its audience. Minimalism, foregoing the intermediaries dominant in many other art movements, impacts viewers with a stark immediacy. Consequently, today we delve into a thoughtful exploration of this intriguing subject.
Barnett Newman's concept of "Onement" represents a pivotal moment in his artistic career and a crucial philosophical foundation of his work, contributing significantly to the discussions of modern art and its evolution into Minimalism and other abstract movements. "Onement" first appeared as the title of his 1948 painting, "Onement I," marking a breakthrough for Newman in terms of his stylistic development and conceptual focus. The term "Onement" can be interpreted as a variant of "atonement," suggesting a state of unity or being at one with oneself and the universe.
"Onement I" is characterized by its simplicity and profound presence. The painting consists of a rich, textured deep red field split by a solitary, vertical line painted in a lighter colour. For Newman, the zip was more than a visual motif—it was a metaphysical boundary, a point of contact between the self and the canvas, and between the viewer and the infinite.
He expressed an interest in creating art that was not just something to look at but an environment to be experienced, an encompassing field that engages viewers both visually and spiritually. Newman was deeply influenced by ideas of existentialism and Jewish mysticism. He believed that his work could express a sense of sublime transcendence, confronting the viewer with fundamental questions of existence and the universe. The viewers in turn would have the same experience with the painting as the artist, in an ultimate unity with the universe.
In this context, "Onement" signifies an experiential truth—the feeling of being at one with a greater whole. It reflects Newman's desire to transcend the traditional goals of representation in art, focusing instead on the experience of presence. "Onement" had a significant impact on subsequent art movements, particularly Minimalism, and it extends beyond the canvas, reflecting broader concerns with spirituality, existential anxiety, and the human condition.
ABOVE IMAGES:
Barnett Newman, Onement I, 1948, Oil on canvas and oil on masking tape on canvas, 27 1/4 x 16 1/4 inches (69.2 x 41.2 cm). © 2024 Barnett Newman Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Barnett Newman, Vir Heroicus Sublimis, 1950-51, Oil on canvas, 7’ 11 3/8” x 17’ 9 1/4” (242.2 x 541.7 cm). © 2024 Barnett Newman Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Barnett Newman, Voice of Fire, 1967. Acrylic on canvas, 214 x 96 inches (543.6 x 243.8 cm). Purchased 1989. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. ©The Barnett Newman Foundation, New York/ SOCAN, Montreal (2022). Photo: NGC
Minimalism, a pivotal movement in the history of art, emerged in the late 1950s and 1960s as a counter-reaction to the emotive intensity of Abstract Expressionism. Characterized by its spare, abstract forms, and reliance on simple geometric structures. Artists like Kazimir Malevich, with his suprematist compositions, and Piet Mondrian, with his reductive approach in neoplasticism, set philosophical and aesthetic precedents that later minimalist artists would expand upon. However, it was in the post-World War II environment of America that Minimalism as a distinct movement took shape, primarily in response to the subjective, expressive nature of Abstract Expressionism. Influenced by the ideas of composer John Cage, who advocated for simplicity and functionality in art, the movement sought to strip down art to its essential features, rejecting the emotional tumult that had previously defined much of modern art.
ABOVE IMAGES:
Kazimir Malevich, Supermatist Composition: White on White, 1918, Oil on canvas, 31 1/4 x 31 1/4 inches (79.4 x 79.4 cm). Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1935 Acquisition confirmed in 1999 by agreement with the Estate of Kazimir Malevich and made possible with funds from the Mrs. John Hay Whitney Bequest (by exchange)
Sol LeWitt, Wall Drawing #411B and #411D, 1984. Installation view at Dia:Beacon. © The LeWitt Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: Bill Jacobson Studio, New York
Minimalism strips away the narrative, the superfluous, and the overtly expressive to focus on the fundamental elements of art—form, color, and material. This reduction is not merely aesthetic but philosophical, posing questions about what is essential both in art and in life. The stark, unadorned quality of Minimalist art often evokes a contemplative silence, steering viewers toward introspection and existential questioning. The simplicity of the artwork can act as a mirror, reflecting back the viewer's thoughts and feelings in the absence of other distractions. This can lead to a metaphysical engagement with the art, where the simplicity and limitation of the media can serve as an invitation to explore complex ideas such as infinity, the sublime, and the nature of reality itself.
Minimalist art emphasizes the "objecthood" of the artwork, a term popularized by art critic Michael Fried. This concept refers to the artwork's existence as an object in space, rather than a representation of something else. For artists like Donald Judd, who avoided the term "sculpture" for his works, preferring "specific objects," this focus on objecthood challenges traditional classifications and expectations of art. The object is not a conduit to something else, it is complete in itself. This autonomy of the art object invites viewers to contemplate art not as an illusion or mimicry but as a part of the real world.
ABOVE IMAGES:
Donald Judd, Untitled, 1973. Plywood, 72 x 101 x 72 inches (182.9 x 256.5 x 182.9 cm) each parallelepiped. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. © 2023 Judd Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / Copyright Visual Arts-CARCC, (2023) Photo: NGC
Donald Judd, Untitled, 1966, Painted steel, 48 × 120 × 120 inches (121.9 × 304.8 × 304.8 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; gift of Howard and Jean Lipman
Donald Judd Installation view at Museum of Modern Art, New York
In the 1960s, Dan Flavin's ground-breaking approach involved the use of industrial, off-the-shelf fluorescent lights, objects not associated with fine art, as the primary medium for his art. By using commercial fluorescent lights, Flavin democratized the materials of art, significantly impacted Minimalism through his innovative use of lighting as sculptural elements, and redefined the boundaries of sculpture and the way art interacts with space and the viewer. His installations often consisted of simple, geometric arrangements of lights that emitted coloured or white light, radically altering the environment in which they were placed. These works did not just occupy space; they created space through light, engaging viewers with the surrounding architecture. This manipulation of space and light challenged traditional views of sculpture as a solid, static form and instead presented it as dynamic and immersive. The installations highlighted the essential elements of light and space, encouraging viewers to consider these fundamental aspects as artistic expressions in their own right. His work also carried strong conceptual undertones, emphasizing the idea over representational qualities. Flavin himself described his approach as "situational," meaning that the art was created by the situation of light within a particular environment.
ABOVE IMAGES:
Installation view of the exhibition Fluorescent Light, Etc. from Dan Flavin at the National Gallery of Canada, 13 September–19 October 1969. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Photo: NGC Library and Archives
Dan Flavin, Untitled (to Barnett Newman) two, 1971, red, yellow, and blue fluorescent lights, 96 in. (243.84 cm) high, 48 in. (121.92 cm) wide across a corner. The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. © Stephen Flavin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Dan Flavin, The nominal three (to William of Ockham), 1963, Cool white fluorescent light, 243.8 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa © Estate of Dan Flavin / SOCAN (2022) Photo: NGC
"What you see is what you see," – Frank Stella
Robert Morris's influential "Notes on Sculpture," published in Artforum during the mid-1960s, provides a critical theoretical foundation for Minimalism, emphasizing the objecthood, spatial interaction, and viewer experience of sculpture. In these essays, Morris explores how sculpture can transcend traditional representational forms to engage viewers on a bodily and perceptual level. He advocates for a direct interaction with artworks, focusing on the physical presence and scale of sculptures as essential to their understanding. Morris introduces the concept of "anti-form" in later essays, advocating for the use of unpredictable, pliable materials like felt, which are influenced by gravity and chance, marking a shift from static, geometric forms to dynamic, organic forms.
ABOVE IMAGES:
Frank Stella, Zambezi, 1959, enamel on canvas, 90 3/4 × 78 3/4 inches (230.51 cm × 200.03 cm). Collection SFMOMA, Gift of Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson, © Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Robert Morris, Untitled,1965/1971. Tate, © ARS, NY and DACS, London 2024
Robert Morris, Untitled (Corner Beam), 1964/2016. 12 x 24 x 144 inches ((30.5 x 61.0 x 365.8 cm). Dia Art Foundation, © Robert Morris/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo: Bill Jacobson Studio, New York
Morris's writings not only advanced the aesthetic principles of Minimalism but also linked the movement to broader philosophical and psychological ideas. His discussion of objecthood, for instance, challenged traditional notions of art as representation, promoting instead an appreciation of the artwork as an independent, interactive entity in space. This theoretical framework significantly impacted later developments in art, including Post-minimalism and Process Art, as it encouraged artists to explore new materials and interactive possibilities, thereby expanding the scope and understanding of Minimalism in the modern art landscape.
ABOVE IMAGES:
Arno Kortschot, Seven Blue Blocks, 2022, Zinc, acrylic paint, and wood panel, 78 x 6 x 3 inches (198.12 x 15.24 x 7.62 cm)
Tony Robins, Tokoro, 2021, Sandblasted and bead blasted 52 lb solid aluminum rod, 3 x 3 x 60 inches (7.62 x 7.62 x 152.4 cm)
The minimalist influence extends well beyond the confines of traditional visual arts, impacting architecture, interior design, fashion, and even lifestyle. In architecture, the minimalist influence is seen in the work of architects who emphasize open spaces, clean lines, and the integration of natural elements, reflecting the minimalist ideas of less is more. In the realm of interior design and fashion, minimalism manifests as a preference for simplicity, functionality, and understated elegance.
Minimalism is a lens through which we can re-examine our relationships with objects, space, and each other. It challenges us to find beauty and meaning in simplicity, questioning the need for complexity in art and in life, and offers a quiet yet powerful commentary on the nature of perception and existence.