American Artists Engage the Built Environment, 1960-1979

This book explores how the development of US-American avant-garde art in the long 1960s was influenced by contemporary architectural discourses. It analyzes the work of seven major artists who were closely associated with the formal-aesthetic innovations of the period, arguing that they were all attracted to architecture because it shaped the social and material spaces of everyday life. The book demonstrates a methodological synthesis between social art history and poststructural formalism, making it of interest to scholars in art history, architecture, urbanism, and environmental humanism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 31 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive volume reexamines the evolution of US-American avant-garde art during the long 1960s, encompassing a diverse range of artistic movements such as minimalism, pop art, land art, conceptual art, site-specific practices, and feminist art. Susanneh Bieber delves into the works of seven influential artists who were closely connected to the formal-aesthetic innovations of this era: Donald Judd, Robert Grosvenor, Claes Oldenburg, Robert Smithson, Lawrence Weiner, Gordon Matta-Clark, and Mary Miss. While these artists represented various movements, Bieber contends that all of them were drawn to the field of architecture due to their belief that it played a crucial role in shaping the social and material spaces of everyday life.

This book makes a significant contribution to the field of art history by demonstrating that the avant-garde of the long 1960s emerged not solely within the realm of artistic expression but also as part of broader sociocultural discourses surrounding buildings and cities. By integrating social art history and poststructural formalism, Bieber offers a methodological framework for understanding the role of art in constructing a more just and egalitarian society.

The book will appeal to scholars and researchers working in art history, architecture, urbanism, and environmental humanism, as it provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the artistic and architectural developments of the 1960s.

Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032262680