Dan Flavin

(American, 1933–1996)

Dan Flavin was an American artist and pioneer of Minimalism, best known for his seminal installations of light fixtures. His illuminated sculptures offer a rigorous formal and conceptual investigation of space and light, wherein the artist arranged commercial fluorescent bulbs into differing geometric compositions. “I like art as thought better than art as work,” he once said. “I've always maintained this. It's important to me that I don't get my hands dirty. It's not because I'm instinctively lazy. It's a declaration: art is thought.” Born on April 1, 1933 in Jamaica, NY, Flavin showed an interest in art during his early adulthood, and went on to study at the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts before attending Columbia University. Working exclusively with fluorescent lights by 1961, he embraced the temporary nature of his art—which often shattered or blew out—and was happy to replace parts of his works as needed. His dedication to simple forms, use of industrial materials, and symbolic meaning allied his practice to the work of both Donald Judd and Sol LeWitt. Flavin was the subject of a major retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 1992. The artist died in Riverhead, NY on November 29, 1996. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Dia: Beacon in New York, the Menil Collection in Houston, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., among others.

Related Categories

Contemporary Art, Sculpture

Related Artists

Carl Andre, Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt, Frank Stella, James Turrell

Dan Flavin Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

Dan Flavin (702 results)
Untitled (To the real Dan Hill), 1978–1978

Dan Flavin

Untitled (To the real Dan Hill), 1978–1978

Sale Date: November 20, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (To Marianne) one, 1970–1970

Dan Flavin

Untitled (To Marianne) one, 1970–1970

Sale Date: November 19, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (To Morgan and Laurie), 1989–1989

Dan Flavin

Untitled (To Morgan and Laurie), 1989–1989

Sale Date: November 19, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (For you Leo, in loving..., 1978–1978

Dan Flavin

Untitled (For you Leo, in loving..., 1978–1978

Sale Date: November 19, 1997

Auction Closed

For Stephen with gratitude aplenty, 1974–1979

Dan Flavin

For Stephen with gratitude aplenty, 1974–1979

Sale Date: November 18, 1997

Auction Closed

For Richard Gluckman, 1989–1989

Dan Flavin

For Richard Gluckman, 1989–1989

Sale Date: November 18, 1997

Auction Closed

To V. Mayakowski, 1987–1987

Dan Flavin

To V. Mayakowski, 1987–1987

Sale Date: November 18, 1997

Auction Closed

For Anne Marie and Gianfranco, 1989–1989

Dan Flavin

For Anne Marie and Gianfranco, 1989–1989

Sale Date: November 18, 1997

Auction Closed

Dan Flavin

"four cornered circular flourescent..., 1975–1975

Sale Date: October 18, 1997

Auction Closed

Piece - A state of neutral pleasure..., 1972–1972

Dan Flavin

Piece - A state of neutral pleasure..., 1972–1972

Sale Date: October 11, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1974

Dan Flavin

Untitled, 1974

Sale Date: June 27, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (for you Leo in long respect and..., 1977

Dan Flavin

Untitled (for you Leo in long respect and..., 1977

Sale Date: May 8, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (to Ileana & Michael Sonnabend), 1970

Dan Flavin

Untitled (to Ileana & Michael Sonnabend), 1970

Sale Date: May 8, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (Fondly to Margo), 1986

Dan Flavin

Untitled (Fondly to Margo), 1986

Sale Date: May 7, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (To Don Judd, colorist) I, 1987

Dan Flavin

Untitled (To Don Judd, colorist) I, 1987

Sale Date: May 7, 1997

Auction Closed

An iconostasis for icons III and IV, 1962

Dan Flavin

An iconostasis for icons III and IV, 1962

Sale Date: May 6, 1997

Auction Closed

For the Citizens of the Republic of France..., 1989

Dan Flavin

For the Citizens of the Republic of France..., 1989

Sale Date: May 6, 1997

Auction Closed

For the Citizens of the People's Republic of , 1989

Dan Flavin

For the Citizens of the People's Republic of , 1989

Sale Date: May 6, 1997

Auction Closed

For the Citizens Republic of France on the..., 1989

Dan Flavin

For the Citizens Republic of France on the..., 1989

Sale Date: May 6, 1997

Auction Closed

For Laurie and Morgan, 1989

Dan Flavin

For Laurie and Morgan, 1989

Sale Date: May 6, 1997

Auction Closed

Untitled (to Paolina), 1971

Dan Flavin

Untitled (to Paolina), 1971

Sale Date: December 2, 1996

Auction Closed

The proposed fountain of trickling water, 1974

Dan Flavin

The proposed fountain of trickling water, 1974

Sale Date: November 30, 1996

Auction Closed

Untitled (1966 in ultra violet and blue..., 1966

Dan Flavin

Untitled (1966 in ultra violet and blue..., 1966

Sale Date: November 21, 1996

Auction Closed

In loving memory of Toiny from Leo and me, 1987

Dan Flavin

In loving memory of Toiny from Leo and me, 1987

Sale Date: November 21, 1996

Auction Closed

English (US)

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