Sol LeWitt

Sentences on Conceptual Art
Sentences off Conceptual Art:
or pessimism the key to pretending to be an intellectual.
1. Conceptual artists are mystics rather than rationalists. They leap to conclusions that logic cannot reach.
1A. Conceptual artists are lazy.
2. Rational judgements repeat rational judgements.
2A. Repeat rational judgements repeat rational judgements.
3. Irrational judgements lead to new experience.
3A. Irrational judgements lead to ignorance.
4. Formal art is essentially rational.
4A. Conceptual art is essentially formal art.
5. Irrational thoughts should be followed absolutely and logically.
5A. Irrational thoughts may be treated with medication
6. If the artist changes his mind midway through the execution of the piece he compromises the result and repeats past results.
6A. If the artist change her mind midway through the execution of the piece she has improvised the results and changed past results.
7. The artist's will is secondary to the process he initiates from idea to completion. His wilfulness may only be ego.
7A. The artist's will is secondary to the process which is secondary to funding which is secondary to ego.
8. When words such as painting and sculpture are used, they connote a whole tradition and imply a consequent acceptance of this tradition, thus placing limitations on the artist who would be reluctant to make art that goes beyond the limitations.
8A. When words such as Conceptual and Contemporary are used, they connote a whole tradition and imply a consequent acceptance of this tradition, thus placing limitations on the artist who would be reluctant to make art that goes beyond the limitations.
9. The concept and idea are different. The former implies a general direction while the latter is the component. Ideas implement the concept.
9A. The Chisel and marble are different. The former implies a general direction while the latter is the component. Marble implements the chisel
10. Ideas can be works of art; they are in a chain of development that may eventually find some form. All ideas need not be made physical.
10A. Ideas can be acts of crime; they are in a chain of development that may eventually find some form. All ideas need not be made physical.
11. Ideas do not necessarily proceed in logical order. They may set one off in unexpected directions, but an idea must necessarily be completed in the mind before the next one is formed.
11A. Multitasking. look it up.
12. For each work of art that becomes physical there are many variations that do not.
12A. For each work of art that becomes physical another becomes graphic design.
13. A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's mind to the viewer's. But it may never reach the viewer, or it may never leave the artist's mind.
13A. A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's mind to the viewer's. But it makes the artist look smarter if the viewer cannot undertand.
14. The words of one artist to another may induce an idea chain, if they share the same concept.
14A. The words of one artist to another may induce nausea, when over heard at an art show.
15. Since no form is intrinsically superior to another, the artist may use any form, from an expression of words (written or spoken) to physical reality, equally.
15A. I tried to buy a car with 22 K's I cut out of my magazine. See "Married With Children".
16. If words are used, and they proceed from ideas about art, then they are art and not literature; numbers are not mathematics.
16A. If words are used, and they proceed from ideas about art, then they are art and have no real social value.
17. All ideas are art if they are concerned with art and fall within the conventions of art.
17A. How else can I write out 16 again... oh, I know.
18. One usually understands the art of the past by applying the convention of the present, thus misunderstanding the art of the past.
18A. Does this apply to Futurism?
19. The conventions of art are altered by works of art.
19A. The conventions of art are the alteration of the conventions of art.
20. Successful art changes our understanding of the conventions by altering our perceptions.
20A. Successful hallucinogens change our understanding of the conventions by altering our perceptions.
21. Perception of ideas leads to new ideas.
21A. Perception of ideas leads to tasting of colors which leads to conversations with your foot.
22. The artist cannot imagine his art, and cannot perceive it until it is complete.
22A. The artist can imagine his art, and can perceive it before it is complete. Using his mind, ooooooooh crazy.
23. The artist may misperceive (understand it differently from the artist) a work of art but still be set off in his own chain of thought by that misconstrual.
23A. The artist can fuck up, but act like that was supposed to happen.
24. Perception is subjective.
24A. Perception is subjective. very good. so are opinions, beliefs, desires, and even faith.
25. The artist may not necessarily understand his own art. His perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.
25A. The artist may not necessarily understand his own art, but can pretend that he does when around buyers.
26. An artist may perceive the art of others better than his own.
26A. An artist may perceive ways to make other artists feel bad about themselves.
27. The concept of a work of art may involve the matter of the piece or the process in which it is made.
27A. The concept of a work of art may ignore the matter of the piece and the process in which it is made. Pay your assistant to worry about that.
28. Once the idea of the piece is established in the artist's mind and the final form is decided, the process is carried out blindly. There are many side effects that the artist cannot imagine. These may be used as ideas for new works.
28A. Once the artist has passed the design on to be fabricated. He may now wait for reviews to be used as ideas for new works.
29. The process is mechanical and should not be tampered with. It should run its course.
29A. Don't stick your finger in the printing press. The safety instructions are clearly labeled on the side of the machine.
30. There are many elements involved in a work of art. The most important are the most obvious.
30A. The most important elements in a work of art are the most obvious. Mainly, how big you should make the boobies.
31. If an artist uses the same form in a group of works, and changes the material, one would assume the artist's concept involved the material.
31A. If an artist uses the same form in a group of works, and changes the material, one should assume the artist is running low on material.
32. Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.
32A. Banal ideas are the foundation of the hellish mundane.
33. It is difficult to bungle a good idea.
33A. It is difficult to bungle a good idea. as long as you look good doing it.
34. When an artist learns his craft too well he makes slick art.
34A. When an artist learns his craft too well he becomes a target for criticism.
35. These sentences comment on art, but are not art.
35A. My sentences commented on sentences, but are often sentence fragments or run on sentences.