About the Artist
Mel Bochner (b. 1940)
Pioneer of Conceptual Art
Mel Bochner is widely regarded as one of the foundational figures of Conceptual art, emerging in New York during the transformative 1960s and 1970s. At a time when traditional painting was being questioned and redefined, Bochner—sought new ways to break with Abstract Expressionism and conventional composition.
A key innovator in integrating language into visual art, Bochner challenged the very framework of art-making. His groundbreaking 1966 work Working Drawings has been described by Harvard art historian Benjamin Buchloh as “probably the first truly conceptual exhibition.”
Bochner’s practice is deeply rooted in exploring the boundaries between language, meaning, and perception. He confronts how we use and interpret words, and how visual and linguistic systems shape our understanding of reality. His work continues to push viewers to become more conscious of the unseen rules and assumptions that govern our experience of both art and the world around us.
