Cubes are a fundamental geometric shape and have been used in abstract art movements, such as Cubism, which was pioneered by artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in the early 20th century. In Cubism, objects are broken down into geometric forms, including cubes, to represent them from multiple viewpoints simultaneously.

Artists like M.C. Escher used cubes and other geometric shapes to create mind-bending optical illusions in their artwork. Escher's work often involved impossible constructions, like the famous "Waterfall" and "Ascending and Descending," which played with the viewer's perception of three-dimensional space.

n the 1960s and 1970s, artists like Donald Judd and Dan Flavin embraced minimalism, a movement that sought to reduce art to its essential elements. Cubes were frequently used in minimalist art as simple geometric forms, often made from industrial materials like steel or aluminium.