Evolution of Conceptual Art in America

Conceptual art as a popular phenomenon, known as conceptualism, had a profound impact upon the art world as a whole because it could manifest itself in any material or form. This allowed conceptual artists to approach themes that artists working in traditional materials could not. The term conceptual art was defined by Sol LeWitt, a pioneer of the movement, to describe diverse forms of written and visual documentation, including textual data, diagrams, drawings, maps, and photographic records. Stressing the use of language and thought process, the movement was the culmination of written information being enacted as art, something begun early in the century. In minimizing the relevance of the permanent visual object, conceptual art also demonstrated a disappointment with the museum and gallery system. It brought forth issues such as art as a commodity, what art could be, and art's role in society. It set out to shock the art community, to change the language of art, and to introduce a new way of perceiving and discussing art. Though it produced few known master works, conceptualism is credited with breaking from conventional art-making and did a great deal to open up the art world.