In 1957 Flavin began to experiment with drawing and fashioning hybrid collages and assemblages, mostly made with found materials. Four years later, he created the first of eight icons: boxy, monochrome-painted constructions outfitted with incandescent bulbs and short fluorescent tubes, wall-hung objects, which are neither painting nor sculpture and which represent his first use of light. He worked on icons consistently for three years, constructing the objects by using hand tools and then painting them.
Dispensing altogether with the traditional materials of painting and sculpture, Dan Flavin adopted common commercially available fluorescent light as the primary medium for his art. He preferred “standardised, utilitarian fluorescent light to custom-designed, showy neon”. As Michael Govan notes, Flavin confined himself to a limited palette (red, blue, green, pink, yellow, ultraviolet, and four different whites) and form (straight two-, four-, six-, and eight-foot tubes) (see 2004 (II): 19). In most cases, Flavin named his works as “untitled” but often added a dedication. Furthermore, he used lower case for inscription except for proper names and places. Many of his woks have the same or similar titles.
Further, with the diagonal of May 25, 1963 Dan Flavin established a “system”, as he himself called it, which is “a structured whole, and whose parts are replaceable” (Flavin 1965: 24). To understand his “system” and oeuvre as a whole, a special attention should be paid to the following questions:
•Why did Flavin choose light as a medium for his works?
•How did he understand and define the phenomenon of light?
•Which influences were significant for Dan Flavin’s art and why?
•Why did he choose exactly an icon and later the diagonal as a form of representation for his first light works?
•Which ideas, meanings and principles are veiled in his works?
•What was new in Flavin’s rediscovery of light?
To answer these questions and to consider the significance of his artistic work in the art historical context, Dan Flavin’s oeuvre and the development of his artistic style will be analysed through his key works with fluorescent light from different periods of time.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. General View on the Problem Area of Colour and Light
3. Flavin’s Rediscovery of Light
3. 1 From Colour to Light: The first icons
3. 2. Icon I (the heart) (to the light of Sean McGovern which blesses everyone)
3. 3 Icon IV (the pure land) (to David John Flavin [1933-1962])
4. From Picture to Space: The diagonal of May 25, 1963
4.1 The Dedications to Brancusi and Rosenblum: “gold” and “white” Versions
4.2 The Diagonal as a Symbol of Light
4. 3 Reduction as a Challenge (“Ockham’s razor”)
5. The Importance of Flavin’s Art today
Objectives and Research Themes
This work explores Dan Flavin's artistic evolution, specifically his transition from traditional painting to the innovative use of fluorescent light as a primary medium. The central research question examines how Flavin developed a new visual language by reinterpreting the artistic potential of light, space, and color, effectively redefining the nature of sculpture and site-related installation.
- The historical and scientific conceptualization of light and color in art.
- Flavin’s transition from early drawings and collages to his light-based "icons".
- The significance of his "system" and the role of the diagonal in spatial transformation.
- Philosophical influences, specifically the relevance of "Ockham’s Razor" to Flavin's minimalism.
- The legacy and ongoing importance of Flavin's site-specific installations in contemporary art.
Excerpt from the Book
3. 2 Icon I (the heart) (to the light of Sean McGovern which blesses everyone)
The icon I (fig.1) is titled (the heart) (to the light of Sean McGovern which blesses everyone). It consists of a square, flat, box-like construction, measuring 63.8 x 63.8 x 11.8 cm, excluding fixture and lamp; approximately 73, 7 cm high, including fixture and lamp, made of pine and Masonite painted in cadmium red oil with a base layer of gesso. A red fluorescent tube of the same length (63.8 cm) is mounted on top (see Govan 2004 (II): 211). It was created between 1961 and 1962. There is an inscription in capital letters in black pen in Flavin’s writing on paper glued to the back: “THE HEART (ICON I) / (TO THE LIGHT OF SEAN Mc GOVERN / WHICH BLESSES EVERYONE) / 1961-62 / OIL OVER GOLD / GESSO ON MASONITE / AND PINE / DNF [signed] 1963 / *REPAINTED PANORAS CAD. RED LTD. / THE SQUARE IS ABOUT 25 1/8” / ON EACH SIDE / THE FIXTURE IS A STANDARD / TWO FEET / THE BULBS IS GE F20T12-R / (RED)-20 WATTS” (quoted in Govan 2004 (II): 211). The fluorescent tube emits pink-red fluorescent light, presenting in this way the slight contrast to the intense red colour of the box.
With the icon I Dan Flavin left completely the area of traditional picture. The transition to a three-dimensional object is completed here through the three-dimensionality of a box and a monochrome colour (see Löbke 1999: 7). This correlation is important for the development from picture to space in several ways. The fluorescent tube is mounted on the outside of the box; it means that the picture’s space is expanded through this addition. An additional extension is achieved through the light, turning the work from picture to object.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter contextualizes Dan Flavin's innovation within twentieth-century art, highlighting the shift toward new visual languages and the adoption of fluorescent light as a primary artistic medium.
2. General View on the Problem Area of Colour and Light: This section explores the historical and scientific foundations of color and light perception, examining how previous artists and scientists approached the phenomenon of light before Flavin.
3. Flavin’s Rediscovery of Light: This chapter examines Flavin's personal development, his early drawings, and his specific motivations for using industrial fluorescent tubes in his "icon" series.
4. From Picture to Space: The diagonal of May 25, 1963: This core chapter analyzes Flavin's transition into three-dimensional space, focusing on his "system," the symbolism of his light works, and his minimalist approach.
5. The Importance of Flavin’s Art today: The final chapter summarizes Flavin's legacy, emphasizing his role in pioneering site-specific installations and the profound impact his work has had on contemporary artistic practice.
Keywords
Dan Flavin, Fluorescent Light, Minimalism, Icons, Diagonal, Site-specific installation, Visual language, Colour theory, Contemporary art, Light Art, Sculpture, Ockham’s Razor, Immateriality, Space, Artistic innovation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this work?
This work examines the career of American artist Dan Flavin, focusing on his revolutionary use of fluorescent light to create new forms of art that blur the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and architecture.
What are the central themes explored?
The study centers on the transformation of "traditional" painting into light-based art, the role of light in spatial perception, and the development of Flavin's aesthetic "system."
What is the main objective of the analysis?
The objective is to analyze Flavin's development from his early "icons" to his site-specific installations, demonstrating how he established a new, highly influential visual language.
Which scientific or artistic methods does Flavin employ?
Flavin uses common, standardized industrial materials (fluorescent tubes and fixtures) and applies them through strict formal reduction, guided by philosophical principles like Ockham’s Razor.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section investigates the specific works—the "icons" and "the diagonal"—to explain how Flavin moved from a two-dimensional pictorial approach to three-dimensional, site-sensitive environments.
How would you summarize the work’s keywords?
Key terms include Dan Flavin, Minimalism, light-based art, site-specificity, and the aesthetic of industrial materials.
How did Flavin’s Catholic upbringing influence his "icons"?
The author notes that Flavin's "icons" reflect a complex and ironic relationship with the Church, where he uses the religious terminology of an "icon" to define his own structural approach to light.
Why did Flavin consider the "diagonal" as his final break from painting?
The "diagonal" represents a shift to pure light without the traditional surface of a painting, effectively turning the wall itself into part of the artwork's space.
How is Flavin's "system" described?
It is defined as a "structured whole" consisting of replaceable parts, emphasizing simplicity and the potential for endless variation within standard industrial limitations.
What impact does Flavin’s work have on modern art today?
Flavin is credited with redirecting 1960s art toward site-related installations, influencing generations of artists who continue to use his approach to redefine architectural space through light.
- Quote paper
- Natalia Spektor (Author), 2012, Dan Flavin: Rediscovery of Light, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/197641
