Conceptualism

/kənˈsɛptʃuəˌlɪzəm/ noun

Definition

A philosophy or artistic movement that emphasizes ideas and concepts as more important than physical form or appearance.

Etymology

From conceptual (from Medieval Latin conceptus, 'conceived') plus -ism (Greek suffix meaning 'practice or system of'). The movement gained prominence in 1960s-70s art when artists prioritized the concept behind a work over its visual execution.

Kelly Says

Conceptualism flipped art upside down—artists realized that a written description of a painting could be MORE important than actually making it, which confused museums but revolutionized how we think about what art even is!

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