Three Stacked Domes 2005

Sol LeWitt, who died in 2007, made this sculpture, Three Stacked Domes, out of painted wood. LeWitt was a key figure in the rise of Conceptual Art in the United States. From the 1960s, Conceptual artists challenged conventional ideas about what art could be. They wanted to escape from the art market, and they did so by creating artworks that were based on ideas or instructions. LeWitt often made works that anyone could make, as long as they followed simple instructions. This challenges our idea of the artist as a genius with special skills. The idea behind an artwork was more important than the object itself. Is that really art? LeWitt is asking us to think about that question! To understand LeWitt, we can read his writings, look at his other artworks, and consider what other artists were doing at the same time. We can ask, what is art for?