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Minimalism is a broad artistic and cultural movement that seeks to simplify form by stripping it down to essentials. In visual arts, architecture, design, music, and literature, it emphasizes clarity of structure, restrained color, and an avoidance of unnecessary detail. The aim is to reveal the core experience of an object or space by removing ornament and personal narration.

Origins and development: The term gained prominence in the 1960s in the United States, associated with artists who produced spare, objective works. Key figures include Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Carl Andre, and Sol LeWitt, among others. Minimalism builds on earlier modernist ideas of reduction and on architectural principles such as the pursuit of simple, unadorned forms. The movement spread into architecture and design, influencing how spaces, products, and interiors are conceived.

Characteristics: Central features include geometric forms, industrial or neutral materials, precise production, and repetition. Works are often autonomous objects or site-specific installations that emphasize perception, proportion, and the relationship between object, space, and viewer. Color tends to be limited to neutrals or monochromes, though texture and material can introduce warmth.

Influence and reach: In addition to visual arts, minimalism has impacted architecture (for example, restrained, material-focused buildings) and design (functional, uncluttered products and interiors). In music, minimalist composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass use repeating motifs and gradual change. The philosophy often extends to lifestyle and fashion, promoting decluttering and functional simplicity.

Reception: Minimalism is praised for clarity and focus but sometimes criticized as cold or impersonal. Proponents argue that reducing elements helps reveal underlying structures, materials, and spaces.