Seeing the works of significant artists with a minimalist aesthetic is sometimes quite difficult. In most cases, they are scattered across various museums around the world – and even then, those works may have recently been loaned to another museum. However, there are special art institutions that are dedicated to the presentation and preservation of individual artists. These institutions offer the opportunity to engage deeply with the work, thoughts and philosophies of the respective artists. Today I would like to share with you 9 of my favorite institutions that preserve the work of important artists with a minimalist aesthetic that can be visited.
If you want to see all institutions and more, I recommend the Aesence Map. There we have made it our priority to collect all available galleries, museums and other places with a minimalist aesthetic.
1
Chillida Leku
An inspiring place for Eduardo Chillida’s sculptures
Eduardo Chillida was once dreaming of an ideal place where his sculptures could come to rest. He found what he was looking for in the north of Spain, near San Sebastián. Here he founded Chillida Leku, a place surrounded by a picturesque park, which opened in 2000. This place serves as a permanent home for Chillida’s impressive works, which are seamlessly integrated into the natural landscape.
The old country house, which stood on the site, was extensively renovated by Chillida. Today it serves as an exhibition space for temporary exhibitions of works by him and other important artists, making it an inspiring place surrounded by beautiful nature.
2
Donald Judd Foundation
Preserving the legacy of Donald Judd with locations in New York and Marfa
The Judd Foundation is dedicated to preserving the works and philosophical approaches of the artist Donald Judd. The Judd Foundation has set itself the task of preserving the works and philosophical approaches of the artist Donald Judd. Located in Judd’s former house at 101 Spring Street in New York City, visitors can experience the space in its original state, including his permanent installations and self-designed furniture.
In addition to New York, Marfa in Texas was also an important location in Judd’s life. There he founded the Chinati Foundation, an art museum that not only shows his own works, but also the works of other artists that he valued. This and his former atelier and home can also be visited there.
3
Musée Soulages
A museum dedicated to the artist Pierre Soulages
In 2005, Pierre Soulages and his wife Colette donated an impressive collection of more than 500 works by the artist to the municipality of Grand Rodez. Soulages, born in Rodez, was an outstanding representative of abstract art and is one of the world’s most renowned contemporary French artists.
The municipality decided to build a museum dedicated to the artist’s work, which opened in 2014. Today, the institution presents his life’s work, from the oil paintings of the post-war period to his Outrenoir works, which are characterized by an intense exploration of the color black. The permanent exhibition is accompanied by temporary exhibitions of other important artists.
4
Lee Ufan Museum
Aesthetic places with the works of Lee Ufan in Arles, Naoshima and Busan
Lee Ufan’s impressive art can be admired in many museums and galleries. However, there are three institutions dedicated exclusively to the artist’s work:
The Lee Ufan Museum on the island of Naoshima in Japan is an incredibly aesthetic place. Together with the architect Tadao Ando, the artist created the museum, which was largely built underground. It exhibits both paintings and sculptures by Lee Ufan that he created since the 1970s. The dynamic interplay between Lee’s minimalist works and Ando’s sensitive architecture creates a meditative and contemplative atmosphere.
In Busan, South Korea, visitors to Space Lee Ufan (a part of the Busan Museum of Art) can view his important sculptures and characteristic paintings. And in Arles, France, is the Lee Ufan Arles exhibition center located. Historical and new works by the Korean artist are presented there on three floors.
5
Josef Albers Museum
The world’s largest public collection of Albers’ work
The Josef Albers Museum Quadrat in Bottrop, Germany is dedicated to the presentation and commemoration of the artist Josef Albers. The museum’s collection was originally donated by Albers on the occasion of his appointment as an honorary citizen of the city in 1970. The museum was opened six years later. Today, the museum houses the world’s largest public collection of Albers’ works and displays the entire spectrum of his artistic oeuvre – from his early works to Bauhaus art and his famous “Homage to the Square” paintings.
6
The Hepworth Wakefield
Art museum named after Barbara Hepworth with dedicated exhibition areas
The Hepworth Wakefield is an award-winning museum named after the artist Barbara Hepworth. Hepworth was an important English artist and sculptor whose work influenced modernism and modern sculpture in particular. There are dedicated exhibition areas in the museum devoted exclusively to the artist’s art and working process, housing 44 plaster and aluminum working models.
The institution also hosts regularly changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and houses the City of Wakefield’s art collection. The museum opened in May 2011 and was designed by David Chipperfield Architects.
7
Venet Foundation
Preserving and presenting the works of the French sculptor Bernar Venet
The Venet Foundation preserves and presents the works of the French sculptor Bernar Venet. It not only exhibits Venet’s own sculptures, but also his personal collection of artworks that he has collected over the course of his life from other well-known artists such as Frank Stella, James Turrell, Donald Judd and many others.
The foundation was established in 2014 and is located on the grounds of the historic “Moulin des Serres” in Le Muy, southern France. The institution is open to the public in summer and is definitely worth a visit.
8
Giacometti Institute
Reconstructed studio of Alberto Giacometti
The Giacometti Institute is a cultural institution dedicated to the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti. The institute is located in Paris in a listed Art Deco building that was once the workshop of the artist and interior designer Paul Follot. Today it houses the reconstructed studio of Giacometti, who lived and worked mainly in Paris from 1922.
The institute also organizes regularly changing exhibitions that shed light on Giacometti’s work as well as that of his contemporaries and subsequent generations of artists. In 2026, the Giacometti Museum is set to open, also in Paris, and will display the majority of the sculptor and painter’s works.
9
Oteiza Museum
A museum dedicated to the work of Jorge Oteiza
The Oteiza Museum in Spain houses the extensive collection of the sculptor Jorge Oteiza. Oteiza was one of the most important Basque artists of the 20th century. His extensive oeuvre, which includes painting, architecture and other fields in addition to sculpture, reflected his profound aesthetic theories. The collection includes 1,690 sculptures, 2,000 experimental pieces and a large number of drawings and collages.
Title image created with Midjourney.
