Significant Form and Jackson Pollock

             When you are presented with art, it can elicit an emotional response, but what if there is a higher “aesthetic emotion” where the spectator views and analyzes art forms with a focus on lines, shapes, color, and form. 18^th-century British art critic Clive Bell (1881-1964) argues in his theory of the significant form that the spectator must detach themselves from the common emotional responses to reach an ideal “aesthetic emotion.”  Common emotion can cloud the viewer’s mind, which Bell argues doesn’t allow for a clear view of the art form. Bell argues, “We need to bring with us nothing from life. No knowledge of its ideas and affairs, no familiarity with its emotions… for a moment we are shut off from the human interests…” (McLaughlin, 1977, p.443). This allows for a clearer and purer view of art. In relation to Plato and Aristotle, Bell deters from emotional response to a more intellectual approach. While Plato advocated for banning art in general as a poor imitation of the natural world, Bell argues for appreciating art in form, shape, line, and colors.

 

Jackson Pollock’s painting “No. 5“(1948) is a great example to view using Bell’s theory of significant form. The painting is abstract and nonrepresentational and focuses on the act of splattering layers of paint on a canvas with an array of colors that create a dynamic composition. The painting is about the experience of painting it. It captures the action and energy of spontaneous creation. Pollock’s usage of naming his paintings after a number helps limit the emotional response to the painting. The imagery isn’t blatant with emotional context but suggestive in the dynamic drip splatters across the composition. A gambit of light and dark colors mixes and overlaps, showing contrast and depth. The energy of creation is transmuted into a display of dynamic form that almost appears to be buzzing. Removing the viewer’s normal emotional responses allows for an aesthetic emotion and a higher understanding of the art form. While this painting was fueled by the inner emotions of the artist in a spontaneous display of creativity, the abstract nature of the composition captures the essence but creates a detached environment where the emotion is shown in lines, form, color, and shape.

                                                           Jackson Pollock " No. 5" (1948)

                               

                                       Reference

McLaughlin, T. M. (1977). Clive Bell’s Aesthetic: Tradition and Significant Form. Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism, 35(4), 433. https://doi.org/10.2307/430609

 

Art as Experience and the Readymade

             Humans since the dawn of time have felt compelled to share and communicate visually. It was instilled into their daily lives. Reflecting on John Dewey’s “Art as Experience”, he counters how we view art and understand it. Dewey argues that by putting art on a ‘pedestal’ and placing art in sterile environments like museums the art object often loses context and the social connection. Why can’t art be incorporated into a normalcy in daily life rather than the otherness of art?  Dewey argues that “art is remitted to a separate realm, where it is cut off from that association with the materials and aims of every other form of human effort, undergoing, and achievement,” (1958, p.8). To add to this separation from daily life it leads to inaccessibility and represents a status of power and wealth. Dewey argues that the nouveaux riches are a by-product of the capitalist system and art collectors are capitalists that purchase these rare and valuable objects as a icon of wealth and power (p.8). This creates an environment that is straining on the artist which makes them withdraw and create an aesthetic of the individual that further separates from common life, which then requires trained art historians and critics to decipher the objects emotional, cultural, and social meanings. Artists “often feel obliged to exaggerate their separateness to the point of eccentricity,” because of the ideals and pressure of the art market (p.10).

By limiting art and setting rules on how to experience and view art it limits human connection. It is created for a specialized culture that is exclusive. It furthers capitalist ideals and furthers the divide between the working class and the bourgeoisie. Understanding the divide helps us understand and explore new ways to bridge fine arts back to common life. Creating inclusive art environments allows for people who normally don’t have the means to view and experience art. The aesthetic of art can merge with common life and be a common thing that connects people in a multi-sensory experience.

            A artist that confronted how people viewed and perceived art was the French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968). He was the creator of readymade artforms and associated with the cubist, Dada, futurist, and abstract art movements. The industrial and commercial origins of Duchamp’s readymades were” intended to challenge the conventions of the permanent nature of art versus a temporary existence and the originality or uniqueness of art” (Dewey, 2023). By using found everyday objects and calling it ‘art’ changes the objects context. Using objects like urinals and bicycle wheels mounted to a stool confronts the viewers understanding of what art is. This challenges multiple art theories and confronts the stagnant museum and gallery settings.

            Looking at Marcel Duchamp’s “In Advance of a Broken Arm” (1915) the viewer is presented with a metal shovel with a wooden handle. It is mass produced for consumers but recontextualized as an art object. The object’s name alludes to its intended purpose which changes the idea of a shovel and creates a specific visual narrative (MoMA, 2024). This artwork challenges traditional artforms and settings and shows that anything can be art if the artist deems it so.

References

Dewey, J. (1934). Art as Experience (14th ed., pp. 1-19). Capricorn Books. https://sites.evergreen.edu/danceasart/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2015/09/Art-as-Experience-ch.1.pdf

MoMA (2024, January 1). Marcel Duchamp: In Advance of a Broken Arm. Retrieved March 27, 2024, from https://www.moma.org/collection/works/105050?sov_referrer=theme&theme_id=5104

 

Plato and Art Theory

     The discussion of what makes art has been a topic of many theories from antiquity to modern times. The great Greek Philosopher Plato (427-347 BCE) argued that art forms, such as sculpture, painting, pottery, and architecture, were ‘techneē’ or skilled craft and not art (Freeland, 2003, p.18). They were mere mimicries of life that appealed to the emotional and spirited side of the soul and not to the intellectual. Plato felt that these art forms were imitations that were limited representations of reality. Plato also felt that poetry fell into this category and was not considered an art form. Plato was also very critical of tragedies and felt that they did not depict the ideal forms of nature and reality. Artists were dangerous to the ‘ideal’ government in that they could influence the passion and imitation of the people, which could cause people to create connections to falsehoods and corruption (Doyle, 2024). Plato felt that only philosophy truly grasped higher thoughts and intellectualism.

 

            There is a connection between art and how it can ignite passion and mimicry in people. It is a visual information conduit that shares history, ideas, and emotions. Plato felt that this was dangerous and, as a means of control, banished artists from the republic because he felt they had the power to encourage immoral behavior and a representation of a distorted look at true reality (Gingell, 2000, p.71) For Plato this may be his truth, but it is the reality that he gleaned true and complete. His theories created limitations on the creative potential of human experience. Plato argued that if art couldn’t depict morality and intellectualism, it had no purpose, but what is moral is a fluid concept in different cultures. Also, it was noted that much of the world was illiterate during Plato’s time, and censoring and limiting art helped keep the Republic obedient. Art allows for a deeper understanding of moral, social, and spiritual concepts through imitation and symbolism. The introduction of new art forms, such as photography, challenged imitation theory with its realism. Modern art movements such as Impressionism, Expressionism, Surrealism, and Abstraction moved away from imitating the world around them and focused more on the artist’s individual creative thought and process. The goal isn’t necessarily to imitate the world but often to delve into deep, complex concepts that create a deeper understanding of the human experience.

 

References

Doyle, J. (2024, January 1). Week Two-Plato, Aristotle, Warhol. Tiffin University. Retrieved March 23,

2024, from https://online.tiffin.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=1525710&chapterid=5538

Freeland, C. (2003). Art Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press Academic UK.

https://tiffin-bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780191579325

Gingell, J. (2000). Plato’s Ghost: how not to justify the arts. Westminster Studies in Education, 23(1), 71–

79. https://doi.org/10.1080/0140672000230107

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Warhol's " Albert Einstein"

     Andy Warhol is one of the most famous modern artists in the world with his archetypical role in pop art and the usage of iconic imagery.  Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Czech immigrant parents, Warhol rose from modest roots to commercial fame.  In 1949, he moved to New York city to establish himself as an artist and fell into the Avant Garde art scene. Furthering the creative concept of the Ready Made by Marcel Duchamp, Warhol focused on American consumerism and pop culture. He had a successful career as a commercial artist and as a pop artist.  Exploring affluential postwar America, Warhol focuses on the consumer-oriented technological driven society as akin to the Dutch still-life of everyday scenes (Eisenman,2022). He provides a social commentary for his time.

     The argument of whether Andy Warhol is without substance and just a commercial artist in a consumer based postwar America or if in a twist of brilliance and creative thought bent the rules of the art world and crossed the threshold into fine arts. He and his contemporaries affected how people viewed what is and is not art.  His artwork would influence critics such as Arthur Dantos, who developed his “Artworld” theory that examined how these new artforms are fine art by the effort of creative thought. Dantos argues that “To see something as art requires something the eye cannot decry-an atmosphere of artistic theory, a knowledge of the history of art: an artworld” (1964, p.580).

    Using Dantos’s “Artworld” theory while analyzing Andy Warhol’s “Albert Einstein” (1980) silk screen print shows that this isn’t mere commercial art but fine art that provides social commentary. This image was part of the 10 portraits of Jews of the Twentieth century collection. The silk screen print of Einstein is of his portrait and is a tricolor print. There is blue, beige, and white that overlap in areas to create an active composition that mirrors the complexity of Einstein’s mind. The image is not just an imitation but captures Einstein as an icon of science. Einstein’s theory of relativity challenged views and changed how humans view the universe. As Danto’s “Artworld” theory challenged what art is and isn’t.

 

 

References

Danto, A. (1964). The ArtWorld. The Journal of Philosophy, 61(19), 571-584. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2022937

Eisenman, H. J. (2022). Andy Warhol. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia

Polyxeni Potter. (2010). The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 16(6), 1052–1053. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1606.ac1606

 

 

Catharsis

         Art is about connection. It has been a tool for communication long before the written language. Much of what we know about ancient humans is from art. It conveys a message. It creates connections and a deeper understanding of the world around us and ourselves. Through art, the complexities of human emotion and experience are explored and, as a result, can cause a cathartic experience for the viewer. Catharsis isn’t a new concept; the concept was created by the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BC). Catharsis is derived from an ancient Greek word for purification and cleansing. The artist uses visual art as an outlet to purge emotion and invites the viewer to participate in this purification process. This creates an emotional connection between the viewer and the art piece.

            The concept of catharsis was further explored by modern psychologists such as Josef Breuer and Sigmund Freud, who” applied it to describe instinctive outbursts of human emotion, such as crying, in response to an acute or underlying stressor, situation, or unresolved state” (Greene,2022). While psychology and art are divergent paths of catharsis, they often overlap to create emotionally rich visual narratives. Aristotle argued that” if a tragedy shows how a good person confronts adversity, it elicits a cleansing or ‘katharsis’ through emotions of fear and pity” (Freeland, 2003, p.18). Understanding and experiencing the gambit of emotions explores what it is to be human and how we are connected in the world.

The cathartic aesthetic in artwork has been an ongoing theme since Aristotle. Cathartic Imagery connects the viewer to a deep and complex emotional context. It can be seen in the work of 20th-century Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Her life was full of tragedy and pain, which she reflects on in her paintings. She connects the viewer to the trauma of her life. She was a victim of a terrible bus accident that left her unable to have children and was a survivor of polio. Her life was painful, and her paintings were a cathartic escape and purification. In her painting “Henry Ford Hospital” (1932), she reflects on her frustration and emotional turmoil over miscarriages and failed motherhood. The painting shows the artist connected to multiple umbilical cords while lying in bed. The umbilical cords are connected to imagery that is symbolic of her inability to give birth. Floating above her is a fetus, a snail, a malformed uterus, an orchid, gynecological tools, and the female abdomen seen “inside and without” while connected to her bedridden form through umbilical cords (Pérez, 2014, p.418). The distance of the composition shows the Detroit skyline with its industrialization and production. This adds to the bleakness of her situation, having such a personal and painful experience in a foreign land, where her otherness is even more reinforced. Her naked body confronts the viewer and strips away sexualization by presenting her pain and loss. The viewer sees these deep emotional visual representations and partakes in her cathartic process. While art is used to purge the emotional turmoil of the artist’s life, the viewer purges but is left with the realization that “their lives are less unfortunate” (Pérez, 2014, p.414).

Fig 1."Henry Ford Hospital" (1932) Frida Kahlo

Another artist who uses art as a cathartic release is Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944). Munch had a difficult life with the tragedy of losing his mother and sister to tuberculosis and with his often being ill. Munch was compelled throughout his life to explore the question of “To what extent can artists convey their innermost thoughts and feelings using lines, forms, and colors” (Iker, 2020). Munch felt art should be focused on subjective, deeply emotional experiences rather than mimicry of pleasant scenes and people. This created his usage of cathartic visual aesthetics to convey his deep emotions and to reflect living people and their complex human experiences. “The Scream” (1893) is one of the most famous pieces of modern art with a figure who has their hands to their face in a state of screaming. Munch stated, as a reflection of his creation of “The Scream,” that “I was being stretched to the limit—nature was screaming in my blood—I was at a breaking point” (Iker, 2020). His emotional state and anguish are symbolized in the figures’ scream. The cathartic experience of purging his emotions through visual representation confronts the viewer and makes them part of the purification process. This shared human experience explores “real life” and all its emotional complexities.

 "The Scream" (1893) Edvard Munch

             The exploration of the cathartic experience is enduring and a shared purification process. It explores what makes people human and how we deal with deep emotions and experiences. The question of whether this is relevant in our current age, where shock art without substance is rampant, is yes. Artists create visual narratives to process the world around them, the good and the bad.

 

References

Freeland, C. (2003). Art Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press Academic UK.

https://tiffin-bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780191579325

Greene, J. (2022). Catharsis. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

Iker, A. (2020, January 1). Edvard Munch. MoMa. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from

https://www.moma.org/artists/4164

Pérez Alonso, L. (2014). Frida Kahlo and the Improper/Unclean: Toward the Condition of Abjection.

Women’s Studies, 43(4), 407–424. https://doi.org/10.1080/00497878.2014.897165

 

Shigeko Kubota's " Vagina Painting"

 Artists have incited reflection and contemplation on controversial and complex issues through their visual narratives. To bring attention to important issues, artists, especially modern artists, have used shocking and horrific content to catch the viewer’s attention. The use of blood and bodily fluids along with dismembered animals can be very shocking and disturbing to the viewer, but it catches the viewer’s attention. It can be argued that this is just for fame and money, with no deeper meaning. The art world is a competitive place where artists must find a way to stand out. It is very probable that there are artists who use shock value in their art for entertainment and money with little regard for a deeper meaning. Some artists use these shock tactics to confront the viewer on socio-political and gender topics. While the imagery may be distasteful, it brings awareness to important topics. Shock content can be a useful tool when used constructively. It confronts the viewer with its uncomfortable context, creating a self-reflection about the topic. Shock value is important in creating difficult dialogue about controversial topics.

Shock value can mirror the message of the visual narrative, creating a powerful correlation between the two. Through thoughtful interweaving of imagery and context, shock value is successful. In the art piece “Vagina Painting” (1965), performed by Shigeko Kubota, the artist creates paintings by attaching a paintbrush to her underwear and using red paint to symbolize menstrual blood.  It is argued that compared to Jackson Pollock's ejectatory-like paint splatter, hers was a feminine or menstrual-like stroke (Doyle, 2024). Kubota uses her vagina as a communication tool. Kubota was born in 1937 in Niigata, Japan. She was a video art pioneer, a member of the avant-garde scene in Japan, and a reoccurring participant in the 1960s New York Fluxus events. Kubota's artwork pushed visual narratives, often exploring post-war Japan and its centralized authority and its obsession with financial gain over the well-being of its citizens (MOMA,2024). She also dealt with issues on gender-normative roles, such as with “Vagina Painting.”  The symbolism of the performance showed the duality between the masculine and the feminine in the performance piece with the use of the vagina using a paintbrush which is phallic in shape, while creating hyper-feminine images with red paint symbolic of menstrual blood. Her performance shocks the viewer with a graphic focus on her vagina and the paintbrush while they create these menstrual strokes. This graphic display incites the viewer to question their view on gender and castration anxiety. Menstruation is symbolic of the female’s otherness to the male gaze. This creates a reminder of the fear of castration and loss of power. Kubota controls that phallic paintbrush with her vagina. She is the master of the performance. She reverts the male gaze and is defiant in her art; while shocking to see, she delivers a powerful, thought-provoking visual narrative.

 

Shigeko Kubota " Vagina Painting" (1965) Perpetual Fluxus New York

References

Doyle, J. (2024, January 1). Week 1- Blood and Beauty. Tiffin University. Retrieved March 16, 2024, 

           from https://www.moma.org/artists/3277

Hawley, E. S. (2016, January 1). Shigeko Kubota. MoMa. Retrieved March 16, 2024, from

            https://www.moma.org/artists/3277

Blood and Bodily Fluids in Art

 Blood and bodily fluids, enduring themes in art, have left their mark on human history. Traces of blood and urine, used as binders for pigments, have been discovered in prehistoric cave art worldwide, such as the renowned Lascaux cave in Dordogne, France (FWNWE, 2018). Blood, a potent symbol, and bodily fluids establish a direct link between the body and the artwork, a ritualistic energy transfer into iconography. The creative intent, mingled with blood and bodily fluids, engenders powerful symbolism. Blood, offered as a sacrifice of one’s essence, weaves an intimate connection between the artist and the materials used, creating a visual narrative.

Lascaux cave in Dordogne, France (c. 17,000 to c. 15,000 BCE)

The use of blood and bodily fluids in art is a multifaceted practice, varying across cultures and time periods. In India, for instance, the Delhi-based Shaheed Smriti Chetna Samiti (Society to Awaken Remembrance of the Martyrs) has been creating blood portraits from donated blood for over a decade. These portraits, made from the blood of ‘freedom fighters’ and revolutionary martyrs, serve as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made in the fight against British Imperialism and colonial rule. The use of blood in these artworks is a symbolic act of self-sacrifice, honoring the fighters and their country (Copeland, 2023, p.150).

                                     Subhas Chandra Bose (Gupta's first blood painting)

 The theme of blood and bodily fluids in art continues to be a potent tool for raising awareness and challenging societal norms. Contemporary artists, such as Robert Sherer and Judy Clark, have used these materials in their works to provoke thought and spark conversations. Sherer's 'Blood Work' (1997-present) uses blood, both HIV-negative and HIV-positive, in still-life portraits of flowers and memento mori to confront the stigma surrounding HIV and homophobia. Clark’s 'Menstruation' (1973) is a Bold exploration of the taboo surrounding menstruation, using menstrual blood, nail clippings, hair, and urine in a grid-like composition (Horne, 2021, p.37-38). These two artists use blood and bodily fluids to confront the viewer and bring emphasis to their visual narrative. It is shocking but draws the viewers' attention. The use of blood and bodily fluids in art has the unifying quality of bringing attention to their visual narrative.

 Blood Works (1997-Present) Robert Sherer

Menstruation (1973) Judy Clark

References

Cave paintings and drawings. (2018). Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 1;

Copeman, J. The art of bleeding: Memory, martyrdom, and portraits in blood. Journal of the Royal             Anthropological Institute, 19, S149-S171. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9655.12021

 Horne, L. (2021). BLEEDING OUT: ON the USE of BLOOD in CONTEMPORARY ART. Art Papers     Magazine, 45(1), 35–39.

Taste and Beauty: How Our Perceptions Influence Our Understanding and Evaluation of Art.

     What is art? There is an ongoing quest for a definitive answer to what makes something art. Art is the artist's personal and creative act. As viewers, our perception of art influences our tastes, our view of what is beautiful, and how we evaluate and view an art form. Perception is a personal and subjective thing. How a person views things can be influenced by many different variables but follow trends of aesthetics and reasoning.

     Reflecting on 18th-century Scottish Philosopher David Hume's view on “taste” and “aesthetic” in his " Of the Standard of Taste," which appeared in 1757 in his writing “Four Dissertations,” it is shown that Hume argues that taste varies. Hume argues that even a group of individuals raised similarly and exposed to the same things may have differing tastes, for taste is an “inter-subjective” thing (1757). Even if they agree, they may choose to use different words to describe, which creates differences in perception. Hume reflects on the problem of whether there is a standard of taste and how we arrive at it when taste is such a varied thing. Hume argues that the “finer emotions of the mind” create a standard of taste, and only people with the time and availability for leisure thoughts and happy environments can fine-tune their taste. These objects draw forth the finer emotions in people and leave lasting effects on the mind (Hume, 1757). These “delicate thinkers” are free from the hardships of the mind and can show true taste. Hume was from the 18^th century, and his culture and environment influenced his perception of taste and beauty. It is hard to find a person unburdened by the harshness of life who could have delicate mental clarity, as he states, which is the true indicator of taste. There are variables in “delicate-minded” individuals, and their perceptions may differ. Taste is still a fluid thing, but it can be agreed that it is a thing that brings forth emotions.

     Continuing the discourse on the perception of taste and beauty in the context of art, we turn to another 18th-century philosopher, Immanuel Kant, and his treatise on beauty. Kant posits that our perceptions of beauty are not a reflection of our feelings or preferences but are instead manifested through the objects themselves (Freeland,2003, p.13). Freeland (2003) further elucidates that “Kant believed that judgments of beauty were universal and grounded in the real world, even though they were not actually ‘objective’” (p.13). According to Kant, beauty can evoke emotions in the viewer, but this is secondary to the object's inherent nature. Kant views beautiful objects as ‘purposiveness without a purpose.’ This starkly contrasts Hume's view that beauty can only be perceived by a "finer mind" unaffected by the harsh realities of life, suggesting that beauty is a naturalistic quality that transcends individual perceptions. Perhaps it is a mixture of both. With a clear mind, it is easier to analyze and comprehend information combined with an eye for analyzing the art form's relation to the natural world.

                                                    Image 1: Teresa Murak, Seed, 1989

     Modern art pushes this discussion further, with dramatic and shocking art being creative that would have made Humes and Kant scoff. It can be argued that controversial art forms can be called art because of the time, intent, and creative effort put into their creation. One such image by Teresa Murak called “Seed” (1989) is a scene from a performative art piece where the artist submerges her body in a mud bath with seeds scattered on top. The artist lays submerged in the tub for a couple of days and germinates the seeds with her body's warmth, creating a connection between germination and growth (Doyle, 2023). This symbolizes spiritual growth, with the seeds growing in importance as a catalyst of change. Much time and creative intent was put into creating this artwork. That alone gives “seed” the credibility of an art form. This creative act is full of symbolism and incites introspection into the meaning of growth in all its dimensions. One can speculate if Humes and Kant would have viewed the beauty of “Seed” and its credibility as an art form. It could be argued that a sensitive mind would see the beauty of “Seed” and its performative beauty of growth. It could also be argued that Kant may have seen the piece concerning the natural world, that the seeds represent physical, mental, and spiritual growth. The act of laying in a mud bath for multiple days may be distasteful to some, and those feelings do not matter in that “Seed” is still beautiful in its relation to the natural world and its sovereignty. Regardless of what these 18th-century philosophers may have thought, it is evident that modern art is pushing boundaries on what is viewed as art. 

References

Doyle, J. (2024, January 1). Week 1- Blood and Beauty. Tiffin University. Retrieved March 12, 2024, 

    from https://online.tiffin.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=1525710&chapterid=5537

Freeland, C. (2003). Art Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press Academic UK. 

    https://tiffin-bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780191579325

Hume, D. (1757, January 1). Of The Standard of Taste. Hume Archives. Retrieved March 12, 2024, 

    from https://users.rowan.edu/~clowney/Aesthetics/philos_artists_onart/hume_standard.htm