Complicating Minimal Art: Racializing, Queering, and Politicizing a Canon

This seminar focuses on the contributions people of color, women, and queer artists have made to Minimalism, a popular and influential style of art defined by sleek geometric forms. Students will critically engage canonical texts, which often privileged the work of white male artists, and consider how race, gender, and sexuality have informed these narratives. Students will also examine the understudied historical events that have influenced artists and their work, such as the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, and AIDS Epidemic.