Antonino La Vela Art Blog

In the 1970s, amidst the socio-political tumult and the fervor of various liberation movements, a less heralded but equally transformative artistic evolution unfolded—the Pattern and Decoration (P&D) movement. This movement, which began in the United States and flourished predominantly during the late 1970s and early 1980s, marked a radical departure from the prevailing norms of minimalist and conceptual art. It embraced a rich amalgamation of ornamental motifs, vibrant textiles, and intricate craftsmanship from a variety of global traditions, celebrating aesthetic joy and cultural diversity. Mary Grigoriadis - Ixion Origins and Influences The P&D movement originated as a reaction against the stark austerity of minimalism and the impersonal nature of conceptual art, which dominated the 1960s and early 70s. Artists associated with P&D found these dominant art forms too restrictive, cold, and detached from human experience. They sought to reintroduce color, texture, and emoti