minimalism

A blank canvas splashed on with yellow ink. Beige interiors. Neutral outfits. These are the few things that come to my mind when I think of minimalism as a concept. Light, airy and easy. From a concept to a global turnaround, minimalism is everywhere now. It gave a sense of calm and adopted by the many people in pursuit of the same. Has it gone too far?

While its calming amidst the noise in this chaotic world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between homes and art that come under this niche. In the name of minimalism, culture is facing a setback.

Today, even a banana stuck to a blank canvas with a silver tape is being auctioned for billions because it is a new concept. What?

YES! Do we call this art, minimalism or a shit-show? Or a rather witty move by anyone trying to take advantage of the manipulated minds of people?

There used to be artists like Vincent van Gogh, Picasso, Michelangelo, and while their art did differ, it was also the ease at which it could be differentiated is what kept the audience craving for more. This is not to demean the culture of minimalism which was brought in focus after the world war two. The idea behind this beautiful art form was to focus on one thing and removing the intricacies and complexities around it.

However, with art becoming digital and beige being the new red, the idea is becoming distorted by the introduction of common themes shared by the mass. Details should not matter to everyone, but the focus should. Just because it took minimal effort does not mean it caters to the niche of minimalism. Be it clothing, designs, music, even social media, it’s all reflective of a new show of meaningless representation of minimalism.

We should be free to do anything and create whatever form of art we resonate with and while we all have access to showcase our work to the world due to social media, it also comes at a cost. Meaning and uniqueness should be encouraged, and a color is not the definition of the entire concept.

The motto should be less, but not useless.