In Japanese, the word ‘sono-mama’ had long implied that something could stand as it is, untouched. In Chinese, the expressions ‘Chi-mo’ or ‘Shi-mo’ were used to mean ‘just so’, or ‘so it is.’

I open with this quote to introduce Carl Andre’s sculpture of 1966, Equivalent VIII, which consists of of 120 fire bricks arranged as a rectangular prism on the floor of the gallery space.

I would like to suggest—for I haven’t encountered it myself—a Zen Buddhist reading of Andre’s work, which would frame it as a presentation of things as they are, untouched. In David Batchelor’s book on Minimal Art, André is quoted as saying this about his work:

The one thing I learned in my work is that to make the work I wanted to you couldn’t impose properties on materials, you have to reveal the properties of the material.

And elsewhere, speaking of his sculpture: Their subject is matter.

These quotes encapsulate for me what is offered by Andre’s work: the opportunity to encounter this sculpture as just bricks. Let it be so.

Equivalent VIII is a post by Adrian Clement on Minimalissimo.

We wanted to preserve the identity of the place with our intervention. We didn’t want to lose the shape of the ceiling, so we chose to add a kind of replicating structure. The white creates the atmosphere, the black gives some form and the activities of the space will bring the other colours.

Architects built a modern complex, that is respectful of the space it occupies, achieving beautiful synergy between the old and the new.

Photography by Fernando Guerra

Centro Interpretacao is a post by Natalia Repolovsky on Minimalissimo.

House J is a thoughtful solution to common design challenges: lack of space and lack of privacy. By situating the rooms around an inner courtyard, the architects create an image of seclusion. The large windows and pragmatic use of square footage illude to a home much larger than its actual footprint. Overall, House J is a wonderful response to a bustling neighborhood in southern Japan.

House J is a post by Jillian Japka on Minimalissimo.

Curated by CAN Neuchatel, this installation not only offers a beautiful minimalist aesthetic, but it also embodies some of the purest elements of contemporary culture – constant speed, constant noise and constant motion.

In an obsessive display of simple and functional materials, these works articulate a tension between the orderly patterns of Modernism and the chaotic forces of life. Carrying an emotional depth, the acoustic hum of natural phenomena in Zimoun’s minimalist constructions, effortlessly reverberates.

→ Watch the 198 DC-motors video

Zimoun & 198 DC-Motors is a post by Carl MH Barenbrug on Minimalissimo.

It was with great pleasure to learn that all her pieces are unique, each sketched and developed to the individual customer. Zofia’s ethos places emphasis on the quality of the garment. From the minimalist language of its designs to the use of natural fabrics such as silk, wool, cotton and leather, she campaigns the classically beautiful dress forms while allowing the details of the structure and finishings to stand out. I share Zofia’s belief that the wait for a custom design piece is the ultimate appreciation of good craft and design, in contrast to the disposable ‘fast fashion’ that is ubiquitous today. As she eloquently explains:

I have always admired people who could create something beautiful using less than a lot… Elegance is not luxury, it’s understanding the rules of decorum. My main goal is to be able to create elegant clothes staying in the minimalistic world of forms.

Zofia Chylak is a post by Adele Lim on Minimalissimo.

Historic industrial design icons such as the Starship Enterprise or the Citroën’s steering wheel were inspirational when designing the w126 uplighter. Admittedly two quite technical examples, but this is a lamp that demanded both highly advanced engineering and a bit of iconicity.

It is available in a variety of colours, including white, grey and orange, and it has two different LED light sources, one up and one down, to create your desired ambience for each moment. Excellent!

w126 is a post by Jorge San Luis on Minimalissimo.

The table’s top is made from custom 1/2″ thick concrete sections that form the structure. Between each section there is a narrow opening that continues down through the legs. The satin grey-blue colored steel frame emphasizes the lines of the channel cutting across the surface.

These openings create a functional channel for a unique system of accessories and cord management. The set consists of a polished aluminum tray, a low copper dish and a brass bowl. Each object can be locked into the channel and gives the impression of floating above the table’s fractured surface.

Segment meets the needs of modern lifestyle with a adaptable and versatile system of accessories and configurations that easily shift from work to leisure.

Segment looks at how beauty and function can coexist and evolve from one scene to the next.

Segment table is a post by Niels-Peter Foppen on Minimalissimo.

Every time I take the train, I sit by the window and watch the series of perfectly parallel strings connecting the pylons, as we move at high speed. I love the way they divide the landscape and how spheres are occasionally beaded through the wires at random intervals. I also love how, in Mediterranean cultures, strings of lights are stretched between posts to mark an outdoor space for an evening party in a village square. And finally, I love how human ingenuity works around problems created by everyday things in the house (like switches and power points) that others have chosen to position where we don’t want them.

I love how these delicate pensil-thin lines create the shapes our mind finishes and makes three-dimensional. Who ever said that the electrical cord is not a beautiful thing?

String Lights is a post by Natalia Repolovsky on Minimalissimo.

 The minimal spaces in The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth allow plenty of room for sculpture, paintings, and people. With it’s thoughtful simplicity Ando’s museum enhances the art it contains, therefore enhancing the user’s overall experience. This building is everything a museum should be: pure, practical, and peaceful.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is a post by Jillian Japka on Minimalissimo.

As a design team operating out of Paris, with Latin backgrounds, their philosophy is grounded on finding beauty in the odd. Their resulting collections seem to also strike the perfect balance between structure and fluidity.

This Spring Summer 2013 collection is overtly feminine, despite the bordering austerity of its simplicity. This achievement through silhouettes is not an overlooked feat, taking ruthless dedication to perfecting these forms. The purposed clean cut of the fabrics, together with disciplined drapery and folding is incredibly beautiful. Martinez Lierah are to be applauded for such sobering handsome creativity.

Martinez Lierah SS 2013 is a post by Bronwyn Marshall on Minimalissimo.

The Pixels bring to mind scaled-down architectural models. Empty spaces, walls and blocks are suggested, subtly visible through the semi-opaque acrylic. There is no point of entry, sealed completely on all six sides. The viewer gets just a hint of the interior as available light creates shadows, exposing voids.

Created in 2010 and 2011, each piece is made up of solid acrylic, beautifully hand carved, featuring straight painted lines. All measuring 16 x 16 x 3 inches, it is certainly the dark canvas sculptures that I find most striking, particularly that entitled, Secrets.

Pixels by Kal Mansur is a post by Carl MH Barenbrug on Minimalissimo.

The collection explores how geometric volumes relate to each other and the juxtaposition of materials and light.  

I love the fact that with these Globe Lights, light can be adjusted and manipulated in however the user chooses to illuminate the space in a rather unique method. Its design and form is almost poetic in the contrast and the relationship, and the experience of it as revealed in these images really makes me wish I had the chance to see them in person.

Images via Studio Vit.

Globe Lights is a post by Adele Lim on Minimalissimo.