“Minimalism” is a generic term to refer to an aesthetic that can be found in the visual arts, literature, music and architecture. The movement was named by the philosopher Richard Wollheim in 1965. It was born in the United States amidst a scenario teeming with dissonant artistic expressions, such as pop art. Far beyond the classic idea of “cutting out the excess,” the minimal ideology absorbs the complex objectives and processes of the Russian constructivist avant-garde and abstract modernism, both from the early 20th century. Learn a little about this style so widely used in architecture and decoration.

What is minimalist art?

In the visual arts, minimalism seeks an expression of “truth” without any kind of figurative or metaphorical representation. The pieces, therefore, should be sufficient in meaning simply by their physical existence in the world; figurations are left completely aside. To achieve this, artists moved between painting and sculpture, exploring the reality and three-dimensionality of their own forms and materials, without any adornments. The beauty of minimalist works lies in the honesty of their creative processes and in their ability to find meaning in themselves and in their objects. components, regardless of references or allusions to feelings, people, stories, or nature, such as figurative art.

Minimalist architecture: deconstructing structures

Currents such as deconstructivism not only incorporate Mies van der Rohe's "less is more" but also elevate it to its maximum potential. The projects have an aesthetic purity, with decomposed forms and a striking use of light. In constructive terms, in parallel with the visual arts, this translates into simplified structures, valorization of volumes and repetitions, use of materials with plastic and industrial properties, such as glass, steel and concrete. Minimalist architecture challenges traditional concepts, such as the house and its rooms, to explore the space, with its voids, geometries and shadows.

Pillar of minimalism: what is essential

In decoration, finally, minimalism manifests itself through furniture compositions and design choices. For environments to be austere, functionality needs to be stripped down to its most essential objects. The challenge for architects and designers is to define, with precision surgical, which is essential and eliminate the rest. Visually, the result of this process is sober, empty, pure spaces, justifying the comparison with silence. Any adornments - the noises - are left aside to give full prominence to the materials, colors and textures themselves. Minimalism is the search for an abstraction, in which the shapes and volumes speak for themselves, and their discourse is enough. At CASACOR , some professionals take on the challenge of minimalist style, creating spaces that always stand out in exhibitions. Check out some of CASACOR 's memorable minimalist spaces from recent years.