One and Three Chairs

Joseph Kosuth's One and Three Chairs is a seminal work of conceptual art that challenges traditional notions of what constitutes art. Created in 1965, the piece presents three elements: an actual chair, a photograph of that chair, and a text defining the word "chair".1

This work highlights Kosuth's interest in the relationship between language, objects, and meaning. By presenting these three components, Kosuth suggests that the concept or idea of the chair is as valid an artwork as the physical object itself, marking a significant shift in Western art towards prioritizing ideas over material form.12