Exploring Conceptual Art

In a historical view, art has always offered different ways to distract us from reality. In this paper I will argue that art allows us to explore and discuss reality, its natural and social possibilities and complexity, as a consequence of its profound change since the 60s due to the establishment of Conceptual Art. My main arguments are the following ones. First I illustrate some philosophical and theoretical criticisms about Conceptual Art that emphasise its idealistic obstinacy based on the target of the dematerialisation of art object. Second I focus on the reductionism adopted by conceptualists trying to show that its main consequence is the increased accessibility of ideas transmitted through the conceptual artworks. Third I present some remarks about the presence of human bodies and their transparency as conceptual artworks - supposing that human bodies like objects and materials that become artworks could be considered as conductors of ideas. Fourth I introduce some conclusive notes about conceptualism and the new materialisation in art.