Leader of Conceptualism, Minimalism Dies

Apr 09, 11:46 AM

Current Headlines: Sol LeWitt, whose simple geometric works of art established him as a guiding principle of modern American art, died in New York at the age of 78.

LeWitt, who died Sunday of complications from cancer, helped establish Conceptualism and Minimalism as dominant movements, The New York Times said. His work -- sculptures of white cubes, and paintings of either geometric patterns or which resembled Rorschach tests -- challenged a viewer's thinking and visual flexibility.

Conceptual art is not necessarily logical, he wrote in an Artforum magazine article in 1967. The ideas need not be complex. Most ideas that are successful are ludicrously simple. Successful ideas generally have the appearance of simplicity because they seem inevitable.

LeWitt was known for his generosity, often showing with young artists in small galleries to give them a boost. He also helped found Printed Matter, the organization that produces artists' books. He also placed one of the largest private collections of contemporary art in the country on long-term loan to the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Conn., where he grew up.

LeWitt is survived by his wife, Carol, and two daughters, Sofia and Eva, a senior at Bard College.