Of Minimalism: Art and Design

Minimalism is characterized by extreme spareness. However, such simplicity has been proved difficult to define, as the meaning is altered according to both the protagonists and their subjects, with both sources and focuses of perspectives. When considering reduction, one is soon confronted with ideas of concept, degree and direction. The sentence "Less is More" is closely linked to the term Minimalism, which, although initially referred to an art movement in the 1960?s, was later applied successfully to design in a multitude of other disciplines. The influence of Minimalism is broad and profound. There are meaningful philosophical and social implications. The principle of Minimalism is proposed as being a useful theoretical tool which supports a more differentiated understanding of reduction, thus creates a standpoint that allows the definition of simplicity in its various aspects.