David Owen Woods Contemporary Art

Conceptual Foundation: Elementalism

Minimalism is a movement that emerged in the 1960s, characterized by simplicity and the use of basic geometric forms, often focusing on the essence of the subject by eliminating non-essential elements. Wikipedia

Elementalism: The view that things are constructed from simpler elements. Wiktionary

Minimalism versus Elementalism: These two concepts are used in specific ways. They are not isms in the classic sense. They are not scientifically acurate terms or historical references. They are descriptors to assist the artistic construct. In this context minimalism is a reductive process. Supurflous elements are progressively removed until only the pure idea remain. Elementalism by contrast is the opposite swing of the pendulum. It infers an additive process. Rather than reducing down to the fundamental, elementalism emanates from the fundamental, and progresses toward complexity. It may be more or less apparent in an individual work but is always inherently present. It is the foundation for the exploration of various themes such as order and chaos, energy and matter, form and space.