Form Follows Minimalism by Amelia Walburn

F o r m F o l l o w s M i n i m a l i s m

FormFollowsMinimalism Visual Essay Amelia Walburn Nottingham Trent University N0733987

(Ello, 2018)

(Pinterest, 2018)

This essay is an evaluation of some of the most important aspects of design which have been hugely influenced by minimalism. It covers what minimalism is, where minimalism was first encountered and where it is from, along with the major influencers of the art trend and how it has changed the world we live in today.

(Nicholas Bell, 2018)

(Lotta, 2018)

(Matthieu Venot, 2016)

(Smith, 2018)

This essay explains how minimalism has had a significant impact on multiple aspects of the design industry. This discussion will explore where minimalism first occurred and how it has been adopted into the various branches of design along with the changes seen from before and after the introduction of this trend. Architecture, art, photography, and technology will be the main points of deliberation throughout, however there are many other themes within design that have all been altered by this influential and fashionable art movement. Minimalism is described as “a movement in sculpture and painting which arose in the 1950s, characterized by the use of simple, massive forms” (Oxford Dictionaries | English, 2018) which typically includes “simple geometric shapes based on the square and the rectangle” (The Museum of Modern Art, 2018). The initial minimalist ideas were generated from artists in New York through the creation of pieces of art which demonstrated the characteristics just stated.

WhereIsMinimalismFrom?

The introduction of minimalism in the late 1950’s led to vast changes in other areas of the design world. The Museum of Modern Art in New York was one of the first places to display the minimalist work and describes its self as a setting “where diverse cultural, artistic, social, and political positions are welcome” (The Museum of Modern Art, 2018).

(The Museum of Modern Art, 2018)

(Beautiful Global, 2018)

There are many opinions on where the minimalist style comes from. Its simplistic characteristics have been famously described as â&#x20AC;&#x153;less is moreâ&#x20AC;?. This saying was introduced by a highly regarded GermanAmerican Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe who lived 1886 to 1969 who used the simplicity in his work to convey this trend. (Fabio Candido, 2017)

(David Chipperfield, 2015)

Some argue that minimalism could have been influenced by traditional Japanese design (Øystein Helle Husby, 2018). This would have occurred in the 19th Century when some of the modern Western architecture was adopted by the Japanese and incorporated them into their traditional housing designs. Wood was used as a main building material to create the outer structure of houses. It was also used for buildings as it reduced the impact that earthquakes would have on their structures. Another Japanese tradition was to have simple screens and sliding doors to divide rooms. The main feature incorporated into these were to be made of paper allowing “some natural light (and shadows) into the rooms”. This idea was of huge popularity and became one of the first “architectural exports from Japan to gain popularity in the West” (REthink Tokyo - Real Estate Information for Buyers and Investors, 2018). Another area of Japanese architectural design which relates to minimalism is emphasized by the materials used in the creation of properties in Japan. The raw forms of wood and use of paper amongst other materials all create a relationship between humans and nature. This is communicated in numerous current minimalist interior decor which include indoor plants, bridging the divide between now and then.

(Frearson, 2018)

(Florin, 2018)

MinimalistArchitecture

Minimalist architecture has become increasingly popular since the introduction of the art trend. This is due to the simplicity and modern style, creating an easy way of living. By removing the non-essential furnishings in a home, you can create a space which solely has the products which have a sentimental value or that have a significant use. Some aspects of modern minimalist architecture replicate ideas created in two other art movements. These were the within the De Stijl and the Bauhaus movements.

(Florin, 2018)

The De Stijl movement was founded by Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg in 1917, two men with a passion for developing abstract art. The term ‘De Stijl’ is translated as ‘style’ in Dutch, which was used as a magazine title in which Piet Mondrian discussed his ideas on art and where he first used the term ‘neo-plasticism’ to describe his style of work. Neoplasticism meant that his pieces used “only horizontal and vertical lines and primary colours” (Tate, 2018). The Bauhaus was the most famous art school in the 20th Century and was founded in 1919 in Weimar, Germany. It was renowned for changing the approach to teaching of art by introducing classes where everyone would learn in a community. “It was the most influential modernist art schools” of its time, and dramatically changed the relationships between “art, society, and technology” (Tate, 2018). (Nosoynatalia.wordpress.com, 2018)

(Tate, 2018)

In 1933, the Bauhaus was closed due the Nazi pressure in the run up to World War II, however its concepts had already had a huge impact across Europe. After its closure, the beliefs and teachings dispersed all over the world to places such as “USA, Switzerland, Russia, Israel” (Bauhaus.de, 2018). This was due to migrating members of the Bauhaus. In 1937, the New Bauhaus was founded in Chicago, USA by László Moholy-Nagy. It adopted the “educational programme developed in Weimar and Dessau by Walter Gropius and developed it further” (Bauhaus.de, 2018). This was a key point in the history of design as it helped to spread theories and assisted the growth of design as a whole. The combination of these two movements allowed minimalism to become maximised in various forms of design. In relation to architecture, minimalism is used to expose the key features of buildings by taking away the decorations which cause distractions.

(Poetic space studio | architects office, 2018)

A vast amount of today’s architectural building projects use minimalism to create modern, up to date buildings. Minimalist architecture is an area of design which is constantly increasing in popularity as people are looking to improve or refurbish their outdated homes. This style allows a clean and sleek finish, which further bringing a sense of organisation. It is believed that by compressing the form of a design “to its bare essentials”, it reveals the true “essence of architecture” (Designingbuildings.co.uk, 2018). In the creation of these minimal buildings, various materials are brought together to create a modern home. The components which are most commonly used throughout are usually large panels of glass to maximise lighting, along with timber to create a natural look and concrete making up the main structure of the buildings. Large pieces of metals such as steel are also used which create a more industrial look. These elements have consistently been used in the production of new architecture which brings clear thoughts of what is meant by ‘minimalist buildings’. Characteristics of a modern and minimalist building are easily recognised due to the calm and open spaces within. “Simple forms, open floor plans, minimal interior walls, modest storage areas, and an emphasis on views and daylight are defining characteristics of many minimalist floor plans” (YR Architecture + Design, 2018). The uncomplication of buildings allows simplicity to flow throughout. This style of architecture recreates the straightforwardness of design prior to adding unnecessary elements hence why this essay is arguing why form follows minimalism.

(Dorte Manrup, 2015)

(Dwell, 2018)

(McFayden, 2018)

ArtistsWithinMinimalism

Another area of the design industry which has been influenced my minimalism is Art. It has altered in many ways since the introduction of the art trend and some of the early pieces which were produced differ dramatically in comparison to the minimalist modern art created in more recent years. Since the familiarisation of minimalism as an art concept, the way minimalist art comes across has changed dramatically. There are many artists which have influenced this, one of the most well-known being Frank Stella in his series of paintings in 1959 called “Die Fahne Hoch!”. These paintings were created in a movement against “Abstract Expressionist painters” (The Art Story, 2018). Due to the huge difference between this style and other art around at the time the controversy almost helped it to gain popularity.

Frank Stella, “Die Fahne hoche”, 1959

This is the ‘Die Fahne Hoch!’ painting by Frank Stella in 1959. He was well known for the comment ‘what you see is what you see’ which was meant to detract from the aesthetics of the paining and allow people to explore their thoughts on what was actually meant by the piece. (Greenwood, 2018)

(Frank Stella, 1970)

Other designers that were renowned for their contribution to the minimalist movement included Ellsworthy Kelly (May 1923 – December 2015) an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker Tony Smith (September 1912 – December 1980) was an American sculptor, visual artist, architectural designer, and a noted theorist on art. He is often described as a pioneering figure in American Minimalist sculpture (Ranker, 2018). In the 1960’s and 1970’s other artists like Donald Judd, Dan Flavin and Robert Morris became a huge part of the development,becoming the “movements most important innovators” (Tate, 2018).

(Ellswoth Kelly, 1996)

(Ellsworth Kelly, 1974)

(Donald Judd, 1972)

A piece by Donald Judd (19281994) which displays ten identical blue boxes covered on the top and bottom by clear acrylic. This simple piece of artwork furthers the minimalist simplicity.

(Donald Judd, 1980)

(Dan Flavin, 1964)

Dan Flavin (1933-1996), was an artist who mostly worked with florescent lighting from 1963. His work is very simple and minimal, allowing the audience to easily captivate his creations.

(Dan Flavin, 1966)

(Dan Flavin, 1987)

(Frank Stella, 1968)

All minimalist art is created to be aesthetically satisfying. By reducing the amount of detail which is displayed, either on a canvas or through sculptural means, a simple piece is produced to allow the full concentration on the form included in the work. It is thought to convey emotions such as “truth” (Tate, 2018) because there are no other elements within the piece which distract from the main element. Minimalist art also displays “order, simplicity and harmony” (Tate, 2018). A lot of modern minimalist paintings consists of abstract shapes in various colours. A huge amount of these are displayed in galleries across the world which show the variety which covers the topic of minimalism. For example, the Saatchi gallery in London is home to over 82,654 original paintings for sale from emerging artists around the world. (Saatchi Art, 2018)

(Imi Knoebel, 1994)

M i n i m a l i s t P h o t o g r a p h y

Minimalist photography is one of the most aesthetically pleasing aspects of design when the compositions are put together correctly. There are many different areas considered which include the use of negative space, a well-placed object, lines and geometric patterns and components such as colour, texture and shape. All of these aspects of the photography industry which are used to create minimalist images all stem from form. Photographers try to communicate a story through their images that they produce. This is conveyed using different filters, for example, black and white to create a more melancholic atmosphere and more colourful images to show a more buoyant ambience. Different environments also reveal various feelings. Images of nature are calmer, which naturally contrasts to the energetic character of urban surroundings. (Digital Photography School, 2018).

A modern photographer which frequently uses minimalism to create her work is Valerie Jardin. She uses a mixture of the two environments just described, urban and rural, which contrast each other to create fascinating and captivating images. This is the first example of her work. Here she has used urban architecture to create this entrancing image. The white curved structure is enhanced by the black surrounding background to bring the subject forward to create the focal point. The smooth, soft curved of the construction creates a soothing ambience which helps to portray the minimalist style.

(ValĂŠrie Jardin, 2018)

In contrast, these two photographs of natural scenery show an extremely different approach to the pervious image. In these, the warm tones in the leaves and the soft vignette around the edge of the photos allow the eye to naturally be drawn to the tree in the first image and the central leaf in the second. A minimal mood is calm and tranquil, which us conveyed in all of the images above even though they are two different styles completely. The lack of background and hectic setting helps to communicate this minimalist effect.

(ValĂŠrie Jardin, 2018)

M i n i m a l i s t T e c h n o l o g y

Since the end of World War II, technology has continually increased in its advancements and changed the world in which we live today. Every high-tech product you think of, has gone through a cycle of continual growth, where the product has been improved over and over again. Not only is this to improve the product in general, but by increasing its ability carry out simple tasks more quickly and efficiently, it increases the appeal of the product to the users, making it a popular product. Arguably, one of the most well-known brands in the world has repeatedly changed its products over and over. By looking at the evolution of Apple products it is amazingly easy to see how minimalism has become a key aspect they have incorporated into their designs.

(Kim, 2018)

(ValĂŠrie Jardin, 2018)

As seen in the images showing apple products the minimalist style is very obvious. The items all have smooth corners and non-complicated controls providing easy use for the consumer. This is why the products have become increasingly popular. The style is aesthetic, and use is undemanding. As minimalism has been the main style which has directed the designs of the Apple products, it is thought thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it has been to thank for Apple becoming the first â&#x20AC;&#x153;publicly traded American companyâ&#x20AC;? (Nytimes.com, 2018) that has become worth more than $1 trillion.

(Kim, 2018)

(Medium, 2018)

Minimalism is the simplest form of the design world. It is created by removing the unnecessary subjects within paintings, sculptures, photographs or buildings revealing the straightforwardness of the pieces. Overall, to conclude this essay, form follows minimalism because minimalism was a design trend that always existed without being noticed. It had been overcomplicated by introducing inessential decoration and factors into different designs. Now, minimalism is a hugely popular design trend because of its effortless and calming feeling and features in all aspects of design. Buildings, art, technology, interiors, fashion and many other areas of design have all adopted this hugely influential art movement as it creates magnificent and decorative forms.

(Gardiner, 2018)

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