Neo-geo or neo-geometric conceptualism is an art movement that utilizes geometric abstraction and criticizes the industrialism and consumerism of modern society. The usage of the term neo-geo began when it was first used in reference to a 1986 exhibition at the Sonnabend Gallery in SoHo that included the artwork of Bickerton, Halley, Koons, and Vaisman. The exhibition marked the beginning of a new art movement. According to artist Michael Young, Neo-geo artwork recognizes technology as both a promise and a threat.
Naming
Curators, acquisitors, and artists within the movement could not come to an agreement on the name of the movement, leaving the world with more than one name for the art movement. A pair of curators and writers, Tricia Collins and Richard Milazzo, felt that “Post-Conceptualism” was the best fitting term, as it highlighted the magnification of ideas. Many artists within the movement, such as Peter Halley, rejected the name “Neo-Geo” because it seemed too catchy and therefore consumerist. Halley preferred the term “Simulationism” because it referred technology replacing nature. In the 1987 New York Timesnewspaper article, “What Do You Call Art’s Newest Trend: ‘Neo-Geo’...Maybe”, he explains that “air conditioning is a simulation of air; movies are a simulation of life; life is simulated by bio-mechanical manipulations”. On the other hand, Eugene Schwartz, an acquisitor, dubbed the movement “Post-Abstract Abstraction” – a new version of 1960s abstraction that creates alternative meanings in unprecedented space. Peter Nagy, artist, wished for the movement to be untitled. He believed that once you give art a name, the movement is destroyed. Some critics even pondered whether the movement had enough originality to be singled out as its own movement, as it bore too many similarities to prior movements such as Expressionism and Pop-Art.
Influences
Neo-geo artwork was influenced by earlier movements of the twentieth century, including minimalism, pop art, and op art. Minimalism began in the 1960s and was focused on including only the necessary elements and geometric abstraction. Pop art began in the 1950s and utilized elements from popular culture such as advertisements and comic books. Pop art was often constructed in a collage-like manner, combining appropriated items from different contexts in order to create a new message. Lastly, op art was a term developed in the 1960s to describe the movement of optical illusions using shapes. The illusions provided the viewer with a warped vision or a hidden image. Additionally, ideas about postmodernism and hyperreality inspired those within the neo-geo movement. Many neo-geo artists were influenced by French thinker Jean Baudrillard. Baudrillard's published books include his opinion on consumerism. One of his arguments is that needs are constructed rather than natural. According to , Geometry was a way in which artists represented ideas like Jean Baudrillard's, with geometry as a metaphor for the modern world because shapes are constructed.
Art historian and curator Brandt provides the first comprehensive survey of neogeo artists. Artists surveyed include Sherrie Levine, Allan McCollum, Haim Steinbach, Jeff Koons, Peter Halley, Ashley Bickerton, and Meyer Vaisman. Brandt focuses on their artistic perspective, examining each artists' exposure to structuralist and poststructuralist theory. Other topics covered include East Village culture in the 1980s and influence of postwar French theory. Brandt also connects each artists' works to pop art, minimalism, conceptualism, and the pictures group.
