Introduction to Minimalism: Art, Dance, Music
S05
Laura Heon
This course offers an overview of the American art movement of the 1960s and 70s called “minimalism,” also known as “ABC Art” and “Primary Structures.” Characterized by extreme simplicity of form and a literal, objective approach, minimalism gave rise to a vibrant exchange among the visual arts, dance, and music. Thus, this course will be divided evenly among visual artists (including Donald Judd, Robert Morris, Sol Lewitt, Dan Flavin), choreographers (Yvonne Rainer, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown) and composers (La Monte Young, Phillip Glass, Terry Riley). It will include a trip to Dia:Beacon in nearby Beacon, NY, where an important collection of minimalist art is on view. The course will touch on the Abstract Expressionist movement, which laid the groundwork for minimalism, as well as post-minimalist tendencies in the art of our time.