LeWitt

Sol LeWitt (1928–2007) was an American artist and a central figure in the development of conceptual art and minimalism. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, LeWitt studied at Syracuse University, earning a BFA in 1949, before moving to New York City to pursue an artistic career. In the 1960s he helped articulate a shift in art practice from the creation of objects to the communication of ideas, arguing that the concept should take precedence over execution. This position was elaborated in his influential 1967 essay Paragraphs on Conceptual Art.

LeWitt worked in two principal formats: wall drawings and free-standing structures. Wall drawings are conceived as precise instructions or diagrams that are executed on-site by others, often technicians or assistants, according to his specifications. Structures and reliefs employ grids, lines, and modular units to explore systems, order, and repetition. Across the decades he produced hundreds of works, frequently emphasizing geometric regularity and serial procedures.

LeWitt’s works are held by major museums and public collections worldwide, and his influence extends beyond the visual arts to fields such as architecture and design. He remained active in New York’s art scene for many years, continually developing new works and projects through the 2000s. LeWitt’s insistence that the idea and method underpin art helped define conceptual art and left a lasting imprint on generations of artists who value process, instructions, and systems as artistic sources.