Mel Bochner

Melvin Simon Bochner (August 23, 1940 – February 12, 2025) was an American conceptual artist who played a pivotal role in the development of conceptual art during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University in 1962. Moving to New York City in 1964, Bochner taught art history at the School of Visual Arts. Throughout his career, he created works that explored the relationships between language, perception, and meaning. His 1966 exhibition, "Working Drawings and Other Visible Things on Paper Not Necessarily Meant to Be Viewed as Art," is considered one of the earliest examples of conceptual art. Bochner's work emphasized the interaction between language and visual elements, encouraging viewers to engage and question. He passed away on February 12, 2025, in New York City at the age of 84.