Sol LeWitt

Sol LeWitt (1928–2007) was a prominent American artist known for his significant contributions to conceptual and minimalist art. His practice spanned drawing, painting, photography, and modular structures—he preferred the term “structures” over “sculpture.” From 1965 onward, he was the subject of hundreds of solo exhibitions worldwide, establishing his status as a foundational figure in contemporary art. Born in Hartford, Connecticut to Russian-Jewish immigrants, LeWitt earned a BFA from Syracuse University in 1949. After traveling through Europe and serving in the Korean War, he moved to New York in the 1950s, where he worked in graphic design and was deeply influenced by Eadweard Muybridge’s photographic studies. His time at MoMA, alongside artists like Dan Flavin and Robert Ryman, shaped his early artistic vision. LeWitt redefined authorship in art by emphasizing the concept over the execution. His iconic Wall Drawings and geometric structures explore repetition, systems, and seriality. His legacy is essential for understanding the evolution of late 20th-century and early 21st-century art.