Born: April 1, 1933, New York City, USA
Died: November 29, 1996, Riverhead, New York, USA
Nationality: American
Style: Minimalism, Light Art
Influences: Marcel Duchamp, Vladimir Tatlin, industrial design
"It is what it is, and it ain't nothing else."
Notable Artwork
the nominal three (to William of Ockham) (1963)
About Dan Flavin
Born: April 1, 1933, New York City, USA Died: November 29, 1996, Riverhead, New York, USA Nationality: American Style: Minimalism, Light Art Influences: Marcel Duchamp, Vladimir Tatlin, industrial design Major Exhibitions: “The Nominal Three (to William of Ockham)” (1963), “Monuments to V. Tatlin” series (1964-1990) Quote: “It is what it is, and it ain’t nothing else.”
Notable Artwork: the nominal three (to William of Ockham) (1963)
This work consists of three commercially available fluorescent light fixtures arranged vertically on a wall. Flavin used only standard colors and sizes of fluorescent tubes, emphasizing their industrial, readymade nature.
Significance
Flavin’s light installations are central to Minimalism. He dematerialized the art object, using light and space as his primary media. The works are site-specific, interacting with the architecture and creating an immersive environment. They avoid any symbolic or metaphorical meaning, focusing instead on the pure sensory experience of light and color.