Generative Art Timeline · Chapter 4: Digital Era (1960s)
1967
Sol LeWitt Defines Conceptual Art in Print
In his essay “Paragraphs on Conceptual Art,” LeWitt fixed the term in art-world usage, famously writing that “the idea becomes a machine that makes the art.”
LeWitt continued: “I will refer to the kind of art in which I am involved as conceptual art. In conceptual art the idea of concept is the most important aspect of the work.”
Text by Peter Bauman. Generative Art Timeline, Le Random, fact-checked September 2026.
Sources
People
Movements
conceptual art, generative art, Material Generative Art
Filed under
- Ideas
- conceptual art, generative art, Material Generative Art
- People
- Sol LeWitt
- Works
- Paragraphs on Conceptual Art
Echoes across time
- 1917 · Fountain by Marcel Duchamp
- 2005 · Part Object Part Sculpture, Columbus, Ohio
- 2004 · {Software} Structures by Casey Reas, Jared Tarbell, Robert Hodgin and William Ngan
Le Random editorials
- Julia Kaganskiy on Generativity’s Deeper Consideration, Peter Bauman, June 23, 2025
- Living Aesthetics: A Grammar of Protocol Art and Worldbuilding, Primavera De Filippi & Peter Bauman, August 24, 2026
- Dmitri Cherniak on Strictly for Art, Peter Bauman, May 26, 2025
- Infinite Images, Finite Control, Kevin Buist, July 28, 2025
Le Random podcast
- Timeline Ch 4—Digital Era Pt II (1960s) with Michael Spalter — listen with transcript on Le Random (21 Sep 2023, 77 min). Transcript mentions Sol LeWitt. Chapter 4’s episode. Apple Podcasts · Spotify
- Timeline Ch 9—AI Era (2010s) with Tyler Hobbs, Helena Sarin, Rhea Myers & Gene Kogan — listen with transcript on Le Random (30 Jul 2024, 51 min). Transcript mentions Sol LeWitt. Apple Podcasts · Spotify
- Digital Curators Series 02—Regina Harsanyi & Jon Ippolito on Preserving the Digital — listen with transcript on Le Random (04 Nov 2024, 79 min). Transcript mentions Sol LeWitt. Apple Podcasts · Spotify
- Timeline Ch 4—Digital Era Pt I (1960s) with Dr A Michael Noll — listen with transcript on Le Random (07 Sep 2023, 60 min). Chapter 4’s episode. Apple Podcasts · Spotify