In 1967, artist Sol LeWitt wrote that in “Conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work.” He was giving a name to an art movement that had emerged in the 1960s in which artists were less focused on their medium being something traditionally “artistic” and instead engaged in using any object, movement, form, action or place to express an idea.
LeWitt’s work was featured alongside an assemblage of notes, drawings and outlines by other artists in “Working Drawings and Other Visible Things on Paper Not Necessarily Meant to Be Viewed as Art,” a groundbreaking show at New York City’s School of Visual Arts curated by Mel Bochner, another leading exponent of Conceptualism. Building on radical 20th-century statements, like Fountain (1917) by French artist Marcel Duchamp, Conceptual artists around Europe and North and South America were not interested in the commercial art scene and rather directly challenged its systems and values.
Stretching into the 1970s, this movement has also been called Post-Object art and Dematerialized art. Conceptual art reflected a larger era of social and political upheaval. Pieces associated with the style range from Roelof Louw’s Soul City (Pyramid of Oranges) (1967) — a work of installation art that sees fresh oranges stacked into a pyramid from which visitors are allowed to take one orange away — to On Kawara’s “Today” series, which saw the Japanese artist carefully painting a date in white acrylic on canvases consisting of a single color from 1966 to his death in 2014. Artists such as Ed Ruscha, who created the Twentysix Gasoline Stations book — a collection of photos of gas stations that is widely said to be the first modern artists’ book — made photography a major platform for Conceptual art, as did Bruce Nauman, who burned one of Ruscha's books and then photographed it for his own.
Conceptual art’s legacy of questioning artistic authorship, ownership and how to work with complex ideas of space and time had a significant influence on the decades of culture that followed, and it continues to inform art today.
The collection of Conceptual photography, paintings and sculptures on 1stDibs includes artworks by John Baldessari, Jenny Holzer, Lawrence Weiner, Joseph Kosuth and others.
1980 Ugo La Pietra Figurative Portrait Pink Laquered Aluminum
Located in Brescia, IT
Ugo La Pietra is an Italian artist, architect, designer and philosophy. Since 1960 he created the fundamental of European artistic tendancy as founder of various art groups such as Global Tool, Radical Design...
Metal
Niemand and Soldier Duo
Located in Denver, CO
"Niemand and Soldier Duo" is of a limited edition of 25 works, edition 17/25 and signed. The Duo will be shipped directly from the artist's studio in Slovakia to your location. Ship...
Polyurethane
$1,120Sale Price|20% Off
Iron Teapot
Located in Columbus, OH
"Iron Teapot" 8x4 inches, two pieces. This surrealist sculpture is a ceramic teapot glazed to look like iron, with a female nipple and areola for a lid. Lighter than it looks but difficult to open, it is both an erotic and hushed commentary on female bodies, desire and strength. Signed. Tara Joshi...
Ceramic
$3,482
H 18.51 in W 7.88 in D 9.85 in
Juggler / - Artistic naturalness -
Located in Berlin, DE
Claire Jeanne Robertine Colinet (1880 Brussels - 1950 Asnières-sur-Seine), Juggler, around 1920. Brownish patinated bronze with gilded balls on a round, multi-profiled stone base (10...
Bronze
$4,563
H 11.82 in W 5.52 in D 7.88 in
1920s Italian Art Decò Signed Bronze Sculpture Nude of Woman
By Gaetano Martinez
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful Italian sculpture representing a seated maiden. The artwork rests on a square marble base Signed on the base “Gaetano Martinez Roma” According a written opinion by Prof. Al...
Marble, Bronze
$1,765
H 6.3 in W 4.73 in
Olympiade Danseres Olympian Dancer Bronze Figurative Woman Sculpture Nude Body
By Jits Bakker
Located in Utrecht, NL
Olympiade Danseres Olympian Dancer Bronze Figurative Woman Sculpture Nude Body Jits Bakker was a versatile Dutch artist: sculptor, painter, watercolorist, drawer, glass artist, silv...
Stone, Bronze
$793
H 6.3 in W 2.37 in D 1.19 in
Trevor. By Nando Kallweit. Elegant bronze figurative sculpture of a female.
Located in Coltishall, GB
Janne is an elegant figurative bronze sculpture by Nando Kallweit. Modelled on modern youthful postures but with a nod to the importance of heritage through the stylised Egyptian-in...
Bronze
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
H 6.5 in W 8.5 in D 3 in
Female Nude Godiva Riding a Rhinoceros Sculpture, 20th Century
By John Kearney
Located in Beachwood, OH
John W. Kearney (American, 1924-2014) Godiva on a Rhinoceros Bronze Signed with monogram to base 6.5 x 3 x 8.5 inches Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he studied at the Cranbrook Acadamy of...
Bronze
$56,199
H 27.56 in W 44.49 in D 25.99 in
Wrestlers IV by Yann Guillon - Large bronze sculpture, outdoor, nude male
By Yann Guillon
Located in Paris, FR
Wrestlers IV is a bronze sculpture by French contemporary artist Yann Guillon, dimensions are 70 × 113 × 66 cm (27.6 × 44.5 × 26 in). A base can be created as necessary. This sculptu...
Bronze
$6,004
H 21.66 in W 5.91 in D 3.94 in
El Torso Bronze Sculpture of Female, Modern, 2000-2009
Located in Zofingen, AG
"El Torso" Bronze Sculpture. The sculpture is dedicated to female beauty and grace. The author portrayed a beautiful girl who is a little shy about her nakedness. Her body is stylize...
Marble, Metal, Bronze
Mary
Located in Villafranca Di Verona, IT
Numbered and limited to 8 copies Artwork signed Authenticity: Sold with certificate of Authenticity Invoice from the gallery Sculpture: bronze, metal, bronze patina Display: The s...
Metal, Bronze
$38,429
H 96.46 in W 31.5 in D 23.63 in
Magnificent North Italian Stone Sculpture Figure of God Neptune with Dolphin
Located in Rome, IT
Neptune is the creator of horses and is the god of the sea as well as the owner of a powerful weapon, the Trident. Poseidon is the Greek Neptune and is one of the big three gods Zeus...
Cast Stone
Femme Fleur
Located in Villafranca Di Verona, IT
Numbered and limited to 12 copies ( 8 + 4 P.A) Artwork signed Authenticity: Sold with certificate of Authenticity Invoice from the gallery Sculpture: bronze, metal, bronze patina ...
Metal, Bronze
$682
H 3.55 in W 4.73 in D 1.58 in
Annalee con cavallo. By Nando Kallweit. Elegant bronze figurative sculpture
Located in Coltishall, GB
Annalee con cavallo is an elegant figurative bronze sculpture by Nando Kallweit. A female fibute leans her head against a horses neck in a moment of tender communion Edtion of 9
Bronze
Venus and Cupid
Located in PARIS, FR
Venus and Cupid also know as "Word of advice from Venus to Cupid" by James PRADIER (1790-1852) A rare and important bronze group with a dark brown patina signed on front edge of ba...
Bronze
Niemand and Soldier Duo
Located in Denver, CO
"Niemand and Soldier Duo" is of a limited edition of 25 works, edition 15/25. The Duo will be shipped directly from the artist's studio in Slovakia to your location. Shipping quotes...
Polyurethane
Niemand and Soldier Duo
Located in Denver, CO
"Niemand and Soldier Duo" is one of a limited edition of 25 works. The Duo will be cast and hand-finished especially for you and shipped directly from the artist's studio in Slovaki...
Polyurethane
"Expansion (Third Life)" Sculpture by Paige Bradley
By Paige Bradley
Located in Atlanta, GA
Item is in excellent condition and has only been displayed in a gallery setting. Sculpture softly changes colors. Remote control powered. Born in Carmel, California Paige Bradley k...
Bronze