The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA), located in Balboa Park, is hosting a landmark exhibition titled “american minimal,” which aims to revisit and expand the definition of minimalism while still honoring its foundational principles.
The exhibit runs through June 1 and highlights the work of several artists who defined the minimalist movement, many of whom have recently passed away.
The anchor piece of the exhibition is Frank Stella’s “Flin Flon VIII” (1970), a massive and colorful geometric painting.
Stella is credited with launching the movement in 1959 with his “Black Paintings” exhibited at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Unlike abstract expressionism, which focused on reinterpreting specific subject matter, minimalism moves away from representing any aspect of reality altogether.
Instead, it emphasizes the art piece itself, assigning the viewer the responsibility of interpreting its meaning rather than relying on subjective expressions from the artist.
Visible brush strokes are often avoided to further remove the artist from the piece, creating works that demand attentive contemplation from the viewer.
Walking through the exhibit feels reflective and nearly meditative as visitors engage with these soothing works.
Stella famously stated the movement’s unofficial motto: “What you see is what you see.”
Following Stella’s death in 2024, SDMA decided to showcase “Flin Flon VIII” from their vault, using it as the centerpiece for a broader survey of American minimalism.
Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs Anita Feldman noted, “As a museum, we’re not generally known for our modern and contemporary collection, but about 95% of the show’s from [our] collection.”
She added, “This show’s making an effort to get these things out and give them a context.”
Stella’s passing is not the only loss the minimalist movement has faced recently.
Visual artist Joe Goode, also a pioneer of the movement, died shortly after the exhibit opened in March.
Kiana Sasaki, the widow of acclaimed sculptor DeWain Valentine, attended a tour of the exhibit, marking her first public appearance since her husband’s death in 2022.
The passing of these legends has prompted a reassessment of the implications and legacy of minimalism.
Co-curator Jennifer Findley from JFiN Collective focused on including women artists who were overlooked or marginalized in the male-dominated movement of the 1960s.
“One of those focuses we wanted to have in the show was a specific, particular refocus on women’s role in minimalism,” she explained.
Findley aims to reclaim the movement from what has often been a masculine perspective.
Some women were excluded from the discourse for incorporating organic forms or not adhering strictly to the hard lines that were characteristic of minimalism.
Helen Lundeberg, for instance, is only now receiving recognition after being dismissed for her paintings exploring space and planetary themes within a movement that revered nonrepresentation.
Other notable women included in the exhibit are Florence Arnold, Helen Pashgian, Mary Corse, and Gisela Colón, along with a photograph of minimalist dance innovator Martha Graham by Arnold Newman.
Colón remarked, “Now many, many decades later, it’s okay to talk about content and organicism and life itself.”
She expressed her love for art’s ability to reinterpret objects across time, giving them fresh meanings that may not have been explored previously, such as organicism.
Among her works displayed in the gallery is a swirling, glittery, purple sculpture that serves as a surprisingly phallic centerpiece alongside other round and spherical forms that reflect femininity.
This sculpture represents one of the final rooms in the exhibit, leading into a space featuring a striking resin sculpture created by her late best friend, Valentine.
Conversely, the exhibit begins with monochromatic paintings that juxtapose the minimalist art movements from the East and West Coasts.
As visitors move through the exhibit, they encounter Stella’s painting alongside sculptures and artworks that play with abstract forms, shapes, and colors.
Further along, the exhibit transitions into an area more closely associated with Southern California’s Light and Space movement, showcasing works featuring neon and kinetic lights as well as a sound sculpture by Harry Bertoia, another notable designer from the region.
One of the exhibit’s standout pieces is Larry Bell’s “Untitled (Corner Lamp)” from 1980, a triangle of beveled glass infused with Inconel and silicone monoxide.
This striking installation requires a specific angle and lighting to create a sharp-edged diamond with precisely colored reflections.
Bell’s work exemplifies minimalism’s unique ability to distill complex ideas into simple yet powerful artistic expressions.
Although it seems simple, the installation of this glass piece demanded significant skill and vision from Bell, resulting in a breathtakingly gorgeous display.
The “american minimal” exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art promises an engaging and thought-provoking experience, encouraging visitors to delve into the rich tapestry of American minimalism before it concludes on June 1.
For museum hours and entry costs, please visit sdmart.org.
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