Light and Space Movement

A label for West Coast Minimalist art of the 1960s and 1970s that was concerned with how geometric shapes and use of light could affect the environment and perception of the viewer. It has been argued that Light and Space art emerged in no small part because of Los Angeles’ radiant light and tempered atmosphere. John McCracken, Larry Bell, and Robert Irwin are most often associated with this term. Notably, in addition to “Light and Space,” this work has been alternatively dubbed “California Minimalism” or even “Finish Fetish Art,” to align it with the meticulous aesthetics of California car and surf culture.