Sebin Justine
1024102
CIA II
MEL 132
Western Aesthetics
July 15, 2010
Essay Mapping
Postmodernism and Politics of Style by Dick Hebdige
In this essay Dick Hebdige discusses on post modernism. He also discusses how it became useful to world. He begins the essay by giving an introduction to postmodernism
Definition and introduction of postmodernism is discussed in this paragraph.
Postmodernism is-space- condition-predicament-an aporia- unpassablepath-where competing intentions- definition- diverse- social-intellectual tendencies-lines of force coverage-clash.When-people-discribe-postmodern as- décor of room-design of building-diegesis of the film-construction of a record- television commercial - an arts documentary- layout of page in fashion magazine or critical journal- anti teleological tendency with epistemology- attack on metaphysical presence- general attenuation of feeling- collective chargin –group of rhetorical troupes – a proliferation of surfaces- new phase in commodity fetishism-facination for images-codes and style- process of cultural- political or existential fragmentation-decentring of subject—collapse of cultural hierarchies- decline of university-functioning of new miniaturized technologies-broad societal and economic shift into media- then –is clear –we- presence –of buzzword.
This paragraph discusses how peoples view on postmodernism
Viewed Benigly-degree – semantic complexity-surrounding-postmodernism-signal- that- number of people-with-interests-opinion –feel- that- something-important-stake –worth-struggling-arguing. Substantiative appeal of -debates – consist- degree-of contemporary crisis-directly-confronted-articulated-grappled with.Uneasiness- which – concern-rapidity and glee-which-intellectuals-intent-abandoning earlier positions-staked out-in- pre-post-erous ground- older-critical debates-predominates-uneasiness-which-underpinned-this case-by-squarer-puritival -aversion-decadence-fatalism.
The paragraph describes various definition of postmodernism
Postmodernism-resembles-modernism-that-it-need-to be thought-plural. Different –writers-define-differently-but- writer- can talk- different time-about-differnent post. Jean Francois Lyotard-used-term-to three sepratetendencies. 1) trend-within-architecture-away-from-Modern Movement’s project-of a last rebuilding- whole space-occupied-humanity. 2) decay-confidence- in –idea –of- progress and modernization. 3) recognition-no longer-employ-metaphor-of-avant-garde- as if- modern artist- soldiers- fighting-borders of knowledge. There is- postmodernism-as –descriptive category- liternature and visual arts-postmodernism- used-refer-a tendency- towards-stylistic pluralism, crisis- avant-garde-as idea and as institution- the blurring on-allegedly unparalleled scale-categories of high and low forms, idioms and contents. There-attempts-discribe-postmodern-emergent cultures and subcultures associated- the new userfriendly- communication technologies . There- much talk-bricolage, creative consumption, the decentring and de professionalization- knowledge- technical expertise, the production – meaning in use. There – talk too- general breakdown – social and cultural distinctions: an end- to- outmoded fantasy- the masses and- corollary in – market but also –historically grounded communities of – industrial period: end – existing subjectivities, existing collectivities. These fragmentations- sometimes linked- erosion – boundaries between – production and consumption, between different media and- incommensurable times and unsynchronized rhythms- different process, experiences, actions. Sometime- it – suggested- together- blurrings and mergers- led to collapse- hierarchies- kept apart the competing definition of culture- high culture, low culture, mass culture, popular culture, culture as- whole way of life- such a way- these categories- their contents- no longer-regarded –separate, distinct and vertically ranked.
Distinguishing between neo-consrvative-anti-modernist and critical post modernism is discussed.
Hal Foster- distinguishes between- neoconservative-antimodernist-critical postmodernism-and points out-some- critics – practioners seek- extend-revitalize-modernist project-others condemn-modernist objectives- and sets out-remedy- effects-of modernism-while- others-working in- spirit of ludic-critical pluralism – endeavor –open up- new spaces. In –latter-critical alternative-postmodernism-defined- positive critical advance-fractures through negotiation-1) petrifiedhegemony of- corpus of radical aesthetic stratergies – proscriptions and –pre-Freudian-subject-formed-hub of- progressive wheel of modernization-functioned in-modern period as-regulated focus for- range of- disciplinary scientific, literarary,legal and burocratic discourse. Critical postmodernist –to challenge-validity-unilinear version-artistic and economic –technological development- to concentrate instead on what gets left out-marginalized, repressed or buried underneath that term. Modernism –discarded by- postmodernist –a eurocentric and phallocentric category- involves- systematic preference for certain forms and voice of others. What is recommended- its place- inversion- modernist hierarchy- a hierarchy- since its inception- eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries- places- metropolitan center- over underdeveloped periphery. Western arts form- Third World – men’s art over womens art, in less anatomical terms – masculine or masculinist forms, institutions and practices over feminine, feminist of femineist ones. Here –word –postmodernist-used to cover-stratergies-setout –dismantle – power- the white.
Diagnoses of the post modernism is discussed in this paragraph
Diagnoses-postmodern condition cluster round- threat or promise- various kinds of merger. A number-immanent mergers –identified: coming together-different literary,televisual, musical style and genres, mergers of subjects and objects. This tendency –at one level- signaled-much vaunted contemporary preference - art, literature, film, television and popular music for parody, stimulation and allegory- the figures –risen like-ghosts from – grave of- fatally afflicated author. Shift towards- tropes- rooted-deconstructionism, in the abandonment-of pursuit – orgins- and –poststructuralist-attacks-metaphysics of presence.
Postmodernism in architecture
Postmodernism in architecture-identified with-end of European modernist hegemony-imposed with growing conviction- on global scale from 1920’s onwards- known- as international style. Reaction –against- International Style architecture-pioneered- in Britain- people like- Edward Lutyens- a whole generation- has been taken it. Modernism in architecture – identified with- more or less intentional destruction of – coordinates through- communities orient themselves-space and time : the destruction- of historyas- lived dimension- of neighbourhood as- socially inhabited space. Architecture is- independent and isolable field- but- less are-definite links-made with-postmodernism. It is – shrinkage in the aspiration of- intellectual practioner himself -links- architecture of post- to its artistic, critical and philosophical.
The given paragraph gives a greater view of postmodernism.
Word –postmodernism- announces- at very least- certain degree of skepticism- concerning-transformative and critical-power of art, aesthetics, knowledge. It announces- end- simple faith-what sometimes- called ‘grand metanarratives’-the great stories- for thousands of years- cultures of west- telling themselves-to keep-dread prospect of otherness at bay. Poststructuralism marks- decline- great stories of west- which has told itself- inorder to sustain itself- against rest, in order- place itself- Master and Hero – world. These stories- functioned in past- as forms of- reassurance- first stories- which John Berger talks about. Berger – imagines – first men- crouching round their fires- night telling stories. Each story- represents- ring of fire- light lit to pierce-darkness. To chase – darkness forever. And today we- crouching on our haunches- centered around-dying embers of many great stories- many heroic, epic master-narratives-stories which have lost- lusture and light, their power and plausibility- today we may- live without- solace and their comfort. If postmodernism means- end to belief- coherence and continuity as givens-end to- metaphysic of narrative closure, postmodernism mean- what Paul Virilio calls- the triumph of the art of the fragment: a loss- totality, necessary and therapeutic loss of wholeness. It may mean- substituting- history without guarantees for-older models- of mechanical and necessary progress. But if this –sounds –grandiouse and pretentious – and far too close- to modernist project- claim to displace- we – cut postmodernism down to size- reducing its terms of reference.
The given paragraph deals with the uses of postmodernism
Postmodernism –used loosely- to designate- range of symptoms which announce- break with- traditional cultural and aesthetic forms and experiences: break, for instance- traditional notions of authorship – originality. Postmodernism – used - shorthand term- reference certain qualities and tendencies- characterize- contemporary metropolitan milieu: growing- public familiarity with formal- representational codes- a profusion of consumption lifestyle, cultures, subcultures, a generalized sensitivity to style- and to difference: etnic, gender, regional and local difference. Some – artist and critics- denounces postmodernism- a flatulent retreat from- responsibility of – artist to bear- critical witness- times- which we live. Others stress- extend –which- sacerdotal postures and duties of- artist themselves- questioned and dismantled insofar- they serve to amplify- duplicate- voice of the father. There –many- good thing- found- ruins -in the collapse- older explanatory system.
Paragraph here deals with idle consumer.
The idle consumer- of- late 1980s – a bundle of contradictions: monstrous, brindled, hybrid. The idle consumer- deducted from – contemporary advertisement- not he or she – but it. The idle consumer- not- the idle productive worker-of an earlier epoch- a sexually repressed nobody, alienated from- sensual pleasure, subjected to- turgid life-denying disciplines of- working week and nuclear family. Instead idle consumer – it: enemy of personal pronouns- is a complete social and- psychological mess. Idle consumer- extrapolated from- barrage – contradictory interpellations- advertising billboards-magazine spreads- television commercial- is conflicting drives, desires, fantacies,appetites.
Conclusion
We – lost – Big Theories- Big Stories but post modernism- helped- rediscover- power- that resides- little things- disregarded detail- in aphorism- in metaphor- allusion- images and image stream.
Reference
Hebdige, Dick. Postmodernism and Politics of Style. Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of
Critical Texts. Eds: Franscina, Francis and Jonathan Harris. London New York: Phaidon,
1992. Print.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Mapping of the essay by Basreena Basheer
BASREENA BASHEER
1024105
CIA II
MEL 132
WESTERN AESTHETICS
15th July, 2010.
Mapping of the essay-When was Modernism-Raymond Williams
1. Defining Modernism through Different Routes
1.1 Title-borrowed.
1.2 Historical questioning-problematic history.
1.3 Inquiry-historical questioning-different ways-misleading ideology.
1.4 Modern-term-synonymous-‘now’-late sixteenth century-mark-period-medieval-ancient times.
1.5 Jane Austen characteristically qualified inflection-state of alternation-eighteenth century contemporaries-indicate updating and improvement.
1.6 Nineteenth century-more favorable-progressive ring.
1.7 Modern shifted reference.
1.8 Modernism-cultural movement.
1.9 Modern-world between-century and half a century.
1.10 English-‘avant-garde’-Dadaism-recent fringe theatre.
2 Identifying The Moment Of Modernism
2.1 Determining the process-identifying the machinery of selective tradition.
2.2 Romantics’ victorious definition-arts as out-riders-extraordinary innovations-metaphoric control-refined-Gogol, Flaubert-precedence over-modernist names.
2.3 Earlier novelists-later work possible.
2.4 Excluding great realists-modernism-refuses-whole vocabulary, structure of figures of speech- grasps unprecedented social forms.
2.5 Impressionists-1860s-defined new technique-only Post-Impressionists-Cubists-situated in the tradition.
3 Who Wrongly Constituted Modernism
3.1 Symbolist poets-1880s-superannuated-by others-1910 onward.
3.2 Drama-Ibsen-Strindberg-left behind.
3.3 Late-born ideology-selects the later group.
3.4 Imputes-primacy of subconscious-both writing and painting-radical questioning-processes of representation.
3.5 Writers-applauded-denaturalizing-language.
3.6 Self-reflexive text-centre-public-aesthetic stage-repudiates fixed forms-settled cultural authority-market popularity.
4 Relearning Modernism
4.1 Selected version –offers-whole of modernity.
4.2 Names-real history-open ideologizing-permits-selection.
4.3 Series of breaks-in all arts-late nineteenth century-breaks with form-power.
5 Modernism And Popular Culture
5.1 Late nineteenth century-greatest changes-media of cultural production.
5.2 Photography-cinema-radio-television reproduction-decisive advances-period identified-modernist-in response-first instance-defensive cultural groupings-competitively self-promoting.
5.3 1890s-badge-self conscious-self advertising schools.
5.4 Futurist-imagists-surrealists-vorticists-arrival-vision of the new-became fissiparous.
6 Modernism And Writers In Exile
6.1 Movements-products-changes in public media.
6.2 Media-technological investment-mobilized-cultural forms-new metropolitan cities.
6.3 Paris-Vienna-Berlin-London-Newyork-new silhouette-city of strangers-locale for art-restlessly mobile émigré-internationally anti-bourgeois artist.
6.4 Writers-continously-moving-Paris-Vienna-meeting-exiles-bringing-manifestos-post-revolutionary formation.
7 Émigré Writing
7.1 Endless border crossing-worked-naturalize-non natural-status of language
7.2 Commotion-interpreted-ratified-city of émigrés-New York
8 Modernism-Anti-bourgeois phenomenon
8.1 Modernism-divides-politically-specific movements.
8.2 Anti-bourgeois-art-liberating vanguard-popular consciousness
8.3 Picasso-Brecht-direct-support-communism-Marinetti-Ezra Pound-fascism-Elliot-Yeats-Anglo Catholicism.
9 Modernism-a narrow perspective
9.1 Modernism-nothing else beyond it
9.2 Marginal artist-classics-organized teachings-great galleries-metropolitan cities
9.3 Modernism-highly selective field
10 Émigré Writers And Modernism
10.1 Ideological victory-artists-mobile émigrés
10.2 Émigré life-dominant-key groups
10.3 Self referentiality-propinquity-mutual isolation-works-radical estrangement
11 Modernism And Consumerism
11.1 Modernism-new international capitalism
11.2 Significant disconnection-relocated-technical modes-advertising-commercial cinema
11.3 Narrative discontinuities-iconography-commercials
12 Modernism-a non historical fixity.
12.1 Modernism-new-fixed form-present moment
12.2 Modernism-tradition-addressing itself.
Work cited
Williams, Raymond.”When was Modernism?” Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/New York: Phaidon, 1992.Print.
1024105
CIA II
MEL 132
WESTERN AESTHETICS
15th July, 2010.
Mapping of the essay-When was Modernism-Raymond Williams
1. Defining Modernism through Different Routes
1.1 Title-borrowed.
1.2 Historical questioning-problematic history.
1.3 Inquiry-historical questioning-different ways-misleading ideology.
1.4 Modern-term-synonymous-‘now’-late sixteenth century-mark-period-medieval-ancient times.
1.5 Jane Austen characteristically qualified inflection-state of alternation-eighteenth century contemporaries-indicate updating and improvement.
1.6 Nineteenth century-more favorable-progressive ring.
1.7 Modern shifted reference.
1.8 Modernism-cultural movement.
1.9 Modern-world between-century and half a century.
1.10 English-‘avant-garde’-Dadaism-recent fringe theatre.
2 Identifying The Moment Of Modernism
2.1 Determining the process-identifying the machinery of selective tradition.
2.2 Romantics’ victorious definition-arts as out-riders-extraordinary innovations-metaphoric control-refined-Gogol, Flaubert-precedence over-modernist names.
2.3 Earlier novelists-later work possible.
2.4 Excluding great realists-modernism-refuses-whole vocabulary, structure of figures of speech- grasps unprecedented social forms.
2.5 Impressionists-1860s-defined new technique-only Post-Impressionists-Cubists-situated in the tradition.
3 Who Wrongly Constituted Modernism
3.1 Symbolist poets-1880s-superannuated-by others-1910 onward.
3.2 Drama-Ibsen-Strindberg-left behind.
3.3 Late-born ideology-selects the later group.
3.4 Imputes-primacy of subconscious-both writing and painting-radical questioning-processes of representation.
3.5 Writers-applauded-denaturalizing-language.
3.6 Self-reflexive text-centre-public-aesthetic stage-repudiates fixed forms-settled cultural authority-market popularity.
4 Relearning Modernism
4.1 Selected version –offers-whole of modernity.
4.2 Names-real history-open ideologizing-permits-selection.
4.3 Series of breaks-in all arts-late nineteenth century-breaks with form-power.
5 Modernism And Popular Culture
5.1 Late nineteenth century-greatest changes-media of cultural production.
5.2 Photography-cinema-radio-television reproduction-decisive advances-period identified-modernist-in response-first instance-defensive cultural groupings-competitively self-promoting.
5.3 1890s-badge-self conscious-self advertising schools.
5.4 Futurist-imagists-surrealists-vorticists-arrival-vision of the new-became fissiparous.
6 Modernism And Writers In Exile
6.1 Movements-products-changes in public media.
6.2 Media-technological investment-mobilized-cultural forms-new metropolitan cities.
6.3 Paris-Vienna-Berlin-London-Newyork-new silhouette-city of strangers-locale for art-restlessly mobile émigré-internationally anti-bourgeois artist.
6.4 Writers-continously-moving-Paris-Vienna-meeting-exiles-bringing-manifestos-post-revolutionary formation.
7 Émigré Writing
7.1 Endless border crossing-worked-naturalize-non natural-status of language
7.2 Commotion-interpreted-ratified-city of émigrés-New York
8 Modernism-Anti-bourgeois phenomenon
8.1 Modernism-divides-politically-specific movements.
8.2 Anti-bourgeois-art-liberating vanguard-popular consciousness
8.3 Picasso-Brecht-direct-support-communism-Marinetti-Ezra Pound-fascism-Elliot-Yeats-Anglo Catholicism.
9 Modernism-a narrow perspective
9.1 Modernism-nothing else beyond it
9.2 Marginal artist-classics-organized teachings-great galleries-metropolitan cities
9.3 Modernism-highly selective field
10 Émigré Writers And Modernism
10.1 Ideological victory-artists-mobile émigrés
10.2 Émigré life-dominant-key groups
10.3 Self referentiality-propinquity-mutual isolation-works-radical estrangement
11 Modernism And Consumerism
11.1 Modernism-new international capitalism
11.2 Significant disconnection-relocated-technical modes-advertising-commercial cinema
11.3 Narrative discontinuities-iconography-commercials
12 Modernism-a non historical fixity.
12.1 Modernism-new-fixed form-present moment
12.2 Modernism-tradition-addressing itself.
Work cited
Williams, Raymond.”When was Modernism?” Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/New York: Phaidon, 1992.Print.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Mapping of the essay by Sana Shamim
Sana shamim
1024112
MEL 132 Western Aesthetics
July 15,2010
Modernist Painting by Clement Greenberg
Paragraph 1: Identification of Modernism
Modernism - art- literature- culture- historical novelty- self-critical tendency began with Kant- first real modernist
Paragraph 2: Criticizing the discipline in order to entrench it
Essence of Modernism- use of the characteristic methods of a discipline- criticize the discipline itself- entrench it- Kant used logic in order to establish limits of logic- make it more secure
Paragraph 3: Demands of self-criticism
Modernism- self-criticism- grows out of enlightenment which criticized from the outside- Kantian self-criticism first appeared in philosophy- it was called on to interpret areas far from philosophy
Paragraph 4: Assimilation of religion and art
Religion could not avail Kantian criticism- arts were denied serious tasks by the enlightenment- it was assimilated to entertainment- it had to prove that the experience provided was valuable in its own right
Paragraph 5: individual uniqueness
Each art exhibited effects which was unique and irreducible- exclusive to itself- it would narrow the area of competence but make its possession of the area more certain
Paragraph 6: self-criticism lead to self-definition
Competence of each art coincided with its medium- self-criticism eliminated any effect borrowed from or by the medium of any other art- art was rendered ‘pure’- guarantee of its standards of quality- leading to independence and self- criticism
Paragraph 7: medium of painting called attention to art in Modernism
Realistic, naturalistic art- dissembled the medium- medium of painting seen as negative factors by the Old Masters- Modernism regarded these as positive factors- Manet’s – first Modernist pictures- declared flat surfaces on which they were painted- Impressionist- abjured underpainting and glazes- brought attention to the colours used- made of paint from tubes or pots- Cézanne sacrificed correctness- fit his drawings and designs- to the rectangular shape of the canvas
Paragraph 8: Modernist painting oriented itself to flatness as it did to nothing else
Stressing of the ineluctable flatness of the surface- more fundamental- by which pictorial art criticized- defined itself under Modernism- enclosing shape of the picture – shared with theatre- colour shared with theatre and sculpture- flatness- condition painting shared with no other art- Modernist painting oriented itself to flatness
Paragraph 9: One sees Modernist picture as a picture first
The Old Masters sensed- necessity to preserve- integrity of the plane- endured presence of flatness underneath- above the most vivid illusion of three-dimensional space- Modernists reversed the terms- made aware of what the flatness contains- one sees a Modernist picture as a picture first- success of self-criticism
Paragraph 10: Modernist painting is abstract
Modernist painting- abandoned space that recognizable objects can inhabit- representation or illustration- does not attain uniqueness of pictorial art- all recognizable entities exist in three-dimensional space- barest suggestion- call up associations of that kind of space- by doing so alienated pictorial space from- literal two-dimensionality- guarantee of painting’s independence- three-dimensionality is the province of sculpture- achieve autonomy- divest itself of everything it might share with the sculpture- hence, painting made itself abstract
Paragraph 11: Modernist painting conforms to tradition by its anti-sculptural painting
Modernist painting- firmly attached to tradition- resistance to sculptural- greatest feats of the Western painting- rid itself of the sculptural- David- eighteenth century- tried to revive sculptural painting- to save pictorial art from the decorative flattening out- emphasis on colour seemed to induce- yet the strength of David’s own informal pictures is colour- by nineteenth century all ambitious painting converged in an anti-sculptural direction
Paragraph 12: optical experience
Manet and the Impressionists- question stopped being defined as- colour versus drawing- turned into optical experience against optical experience as revised by tactile associations- in the name of purely and literally optical- not colour- impressionists set themselves to undermining shading and modeling and everything else in painting that seemed to connote the sculptural- Cezanne and the cubists- reacted against impressionism- eventuated in a kind of painting flatterer than anything in western art- could hardly contain recognizable images
Paragraph 13: revision and re-revision of the norms of modernist paintings
Norm of the picture’s enclosing shape or frame loosened- tightened, isolated- by successive generations of modernist painters- norms of finish and paint texture- of value and colour contrast- revised and re-revised in order to exhibit them more clearly as norms- by being exhibited- tested for their indispensability- radical simplification to be seen in the latest abstract painting- radical complications also seen
Paragraph 14: The essential norms or conventions of painting are at the same time the limiting conditions with which a picture must comply in order to be experienced as a picture.
The more closely the norms of a discipline become defined- less freedom they permit in many directions- essential norms of painting are- limiting conditions with which a picture must comply in order to be experienced as a picture- the further back these limits are pushed- more explicitly they have to be observed- criss-cross black lines and coloured rectangles of a Mondrian painting- impose- a regulating norm with a new force and completeness by echoing that shape so closely- far from incurring the danger of arbitrariness Mondrian’s art proves- almost too disciplined- too tradition and convention bound in certain respects- more conservative in its colour- subservience to the frame- than the last paintings of Monet
Paragraph 15: Modernist painting must permit optical illusion
Modernist painting can never be an absolute flatness- picture plane- permit optical illusion- first mark made on canvas destroys its literal and utter flatness- artists like Mondrian suggest a kind of third dimension- Old Masters created an illusion of space- imagine oneself walking into- illusion created by the modernist painter can only be seen into- can be traveled through- literally or figuratively- only with the eye
Paragraph 16: Kantian self-criticism has found its fullest expression in science rather than in philosophy
Impressionists- neo-impressionists- were not altogether misguided when they flirted with science- Kantian self-criticism- found its fullest expression in science rather than philosophy- visual art should confine itself exclusively- to visual experience- make no reference to anything given in any other order of experience- justification lies in scientific consistency
Paragraph 17: The convergence of arts and science is a mere accident.
Science method asks- situation be resolved in – same terms- in which presented- this kind of consistency promises nothing in the was of aesthetic quality- best art of the last seventy or eighty years approaches closer to such consistency- art- its convergence with science happens to be a mere accident- neither art nor science assures the other of anything more than it ever did- convergence shows- degree to which Modernist art belongs to the same specific cultural tendency as modern science- highest significance as a historical fact
Paragraph 18: The immediate aim of a modernist is personal before anything else.
Modernist art- spontaneous and largely subliminal- question of practice- never a topic of theory- masters of modernism have no more fixed idea about art than Corot did- immediate aim of Modernists was and remains personal- truth and success of their work remains personal before anything else- decades of personal paintings reveal- general self-critical tendency of Modernist painting- no artist was or yet is, aware of it- nor could any artist work freely in awareness of it
Paragraph 19: The limiting conditions of art are altogether human conditions.
Modernism has never meant- a break with the past- may mean a devolution, an unraveling of tradition- also means its further evolution- Modernist art continues the past without a gap- making of pictures- controlled- Paleolithic painter- disregard norm of the frame- treat the surface in a literally sculptural way- limits and surface arbitrarily given by nature- the deliberate creating or choosing of a flat surface- deliberate circumscribing and limiting of it- Modernist painting harps on this deliberateness- that the limiting conditions of art are altogether human conditions
Paragraph 20: Modernist art puts theory into practice
Modernist art does not offer theoretical demonstrations- it happens to convert theoretical dimensions-it happens to convert theoretical possibilities into empirical ones- tests many theories about art for their relevance- certain factors assumed essential- Modernist painting has been able to dispense with- yet offers the experience of art in all its essentials- Modernism has shown- past did appreciate these masters justly- often gave wrong or irrelevant reasons for doing so
Paragraph 21: Art and Journalism
Most things written about Modernist art- belong to journalism- rather than to criticism or art history- each new modern art is expected to break away from the traditional- faces failure- Modernist art takes place in intelligible continuity of taste and tradition
Paragraph 22: Art is continuity
Art is continuity- lack of past would lead to lack of both substance and justification
1024112
MEL 132 Western Aesthetics
July 15,2010
Modernist Painting by Clement Greenberg
Paragraph 1: Identification of Modernism
Modernism - art- literature- culture- historical novelty- self-critical tendency began with Kant- first real modernist
Paragraph 2: Criticizing the discipline in order to entrench it
Essence of Modernism- use of the characteristic methods of a discipline- criticize the discipline itself- entrench it- Kant used logic in order to establish limits of logic- make it more secure
Paragraph 3: Demands of self-criticism
Modernism- self-criticism- grows out of enlightenment which criticized from the outside- Kantian self-criticism first appeared in philosophy- it was called on to interpret areas far from philosophy
Paragraph 4: Assimilation of religion and art
Religion could not avail Kantian criticism- arts were denied serious tasks by the enlightenment- it was assimilated to entertainment- it had to prove that the experience provided was valuable in its own right
Paragraph 5: individual uniqueness
Each art exhibited effects which was unique and irreducible- exclusive to itself- it would narrow the area of competence but make its possession of the area more certain
Paragraph 6: self-criticism lead to self-definition
Competence of each art coincided with its medium- self-criticism eliminated any effect borrowed from or by the medium of any other art- art was rendered ‘pure’- guarantee of its standards of quality- leading to independence and self- criticism
Paragraph 7: medium of painting called attention to art in Modernism
Realistic, naturalistic art- dissembled the medium- medium of painting seen as negative factors by the Old Masters- Modernism regarded these as positive factors- Manet’s – first Modernist pictures- declared flat surfaces on which they were painted- Impressionist- abjured underpainting and glazes- brought attention to the colours used- made of paint from tubes or pots- Cézanne sacrificed correctness- fit his drawings and designs- to the rectangular shape of the canvas
Paragraph 8: Modernist painting oriented itself to flatness as it did to nothing else
Stressing of the ineluctable flatness of the surface- more fundamental- by which pictorial art criticized- defined itself under Modernism- enclosing shape of the picture – shared with theatre- colour shared with theatre and sculpture- flatness- condition painting shared with no other art- Modernist painting oriented itself to flatness
Paragraph 9: One sees Modernist picture as a picture first
The Old Masters sensed- necessity to preserve- integrity of the plane- endured presence of flatness underneath- above the most vivid illusion of three-dimensional space- Modernists reversed the terms- made aware of what the flatness contains- one sees a Modernist picture as a picture first- success of self-criticism
Paragraph 10: Modernist painting is abstract
Modernist painting- abandoned space that recognizable objects can inhabit- representation or illustration- does not attain uniqueness of pictorial art- all recognizable entities exist in three-dimensional space- barest suggestion- call up associations of that kind of space- by doing so alienated pictorial space from- literal two-dimensionality- guarantee of painting’s independence- three-dimensionality is the province of sculpture- achieve autonomy- divest itself of everything it might share with the sculpture- hence, painting made itself abstract
Paragraph 11: Modernist painting conforms to tradition by its anti-sculptural painting
Modernist painting- firmly attached to tradition- resistance to sculptural- greatest feats of the Western painting- rid itself of the sculptural- David- eighteenth century- tried to revive sculptural painting- to save pictorial art from the decorative flattening out- emphasis on colour seemed to induce- yet the strength of David’s own informal pictures is colour- by nineteenth century all ambitious painting converged in an anti-sculptural direction
Paragraph 12: optical experience
Manet and the Impressionists- question stopped being defined as- colour versus drawing- turned into optical experience against optical experience as revised by tactile associations- in the name of purely and literally optical- not colour- impressionists set themselves to undermining shading and modeling and everything else in painting that seemed to connote the sculptural- Cezanne and the cubists- reacted against impressionism- eventuated in a kind of painting flatterer than anything in western art- could hardly contain recognizable images
Paragraph 13: revision and re-revision of the norms of modernist paintings
Norm of the picture’s enclosing shape or frame loosened- tightened, isolated- by successive generations of modernist painters- norms of finish and paint texture- of value and colour contrast- revised and re-revised in order to exhibit them more clearly as norms- by being exhibited- tested for their indispensability- radical simplification to be seen in the latest abstract painting- radical complications also seen
Paragraph 14: The essential norms or conventions of painting are at the same time the limiting conditions with which a picture must comply in order to be experienced as a picture.
The more closely the norms of a discipline become defined- less freedom they permit in many directions- essential norms of painting are- limiting conditions with which a picture must comply in order to be experienced as a picture- the further back these limits are pushed- more explicitly they have to be observed- criss-cross black lines and coloured rectangles of a Mondrian painting- impose- a regulating norm with a new force and completeness by echoing that shape so closely- far from incurring the danger of arbitrariness Mondrian’s art proves- almost too disciplined- too tradition and convention bound in certain respects- more conservative in its colour- subservience to the frame- than the last paintings of Monet
Paragraph 15: Modernist painting must permit optical illusion
Modernist painting can never be an absolute flatness- picture plane- permit optical illusion- first mark made on canvas destroys its literal and utter flatness- artists like Mondrian suggest a kind of third dimension- Old Masters created an illusion of space- imagine oneself walking into- illusion created by the modernist painter can only be seen into- can be traveled through- literally or figuratively- only with the eye
Paragraph 16: Kantian self-criticism has found its fullest expression in science rather than in philosophy
Impressionists- neo-impressionists- were not altogether misguided when they flirted with science- Kantian self-criticism- found its fullest expression in science rather than philosophy- visual art should confine itself exclusively- to visual experience- make no reference to anything given in any other order of experience- justification lies in scientific consistency
Paragraph 17: The convergence of arts and science is a mere accident.
Science method asks- situation be resolved in – same terms- in which presented- this kind of consistency promises nothing in the was of aesthetic quality- best art of the last seventy or eighty years approaches closer to such consistency- art- its convergence with science happens to be a mere accident- neither art nor science assures the other of anything more than it ever did- convergence shows- degree to which Modernist art belongs to the same specific cultural tendency as modern science- highest significance as a historical fact
Paragraph 18: The immediate aim of a modernist is personal before anything else.
Modernist art- spontaneous and largely subliminal- question of practice- never a topic of theory- masters of modernism have no more fixed idea about art than Corot did- immediate aim of Modernists was and remains personal- truth and success of their work remains personal before anything else- decades of personal paintings reveal- general self-critical tendency of Modernist painting- no artist was or yet is, aware of it- nor could any artist work freely in awareness of it
Paragraph 19: The limiting conditions of art are altogether human conditions.
Modernism has never meant- a break with the past- may mean a devolution, an unraveling of tradition- also means its further evolution- Modernist art continues the past without a gap- making of pictures- controlled- Paleolithic painter- disregard norm of the frame- treat the surface in a literally sculptural way- limits and surface arbitrarily given by nature- the deliberate creating or choosing of a flat surface- deliberate circumscribing and limiting of it- Modernist painting harps on this deliberateness- that the limiting conditions of art are altogether human conditions
Paragraph 20: Modernist art puts theory into practice
Modernist art does not offer theoretical demonstrations- it happens to convert theoretical dimensions-it happens to convert theoretical possibilities into empirical ones- tests many theories about art for their relevance- certain factors assumed essential- Modernist painting has been able to dispense with- yet offers the experience of art in all its essentials- Modernism has shown- past did appreciate these masters justly- often gave wrong or irrelevant reasons for doing so
Paragraph 21: Art and Journalism
Most things written about Modernist art- belong to journalism- rather than to criticism or art history- each new modern art is expected to break away from the traditional- faces failure- Modernist art takes place in intelligible continuity of taste and tradition
Paragraph 22: Art is continuity
Art is continuity- lack of past would lead to lack of both substance and justification
Mapping of the essay by Shilpi Rana
Shilpi Rana
1024115
CIA 2
MEL132 WESTERNAESTHETICS
15July,2010
Map of the essay “Mapping” by Lucy R. Lippard.
I.1) Multiculturalism
I.2) ‘Multiculturalism’ – East Indian scholars Kumkum Sangari observes – ‘ poised in a liminal space – having broken out of binary opposition between circular and linear – gives third space and time - to emerge’. The author here suggests as per white ethnographer James Clifford’s view – not to look on elements of foreign culture - only to make – her own culture – unexplained.
II.1) Racism enhances cultural difference.
II.2) The term race – commonly denotes culture – social phenomenon – historical background – harm to economic interest – expands ethnic difference.
III.1) Cultural biasness can be fruitful to the neglected races.
III.2) The contribution – underestimated races – not overlooked. In the Euro-American society – presence of the ideas of Africans, native Americans, Asians and Latino cultures can be felt. Rejections – ideas – subjugated races – resulted – development – prominent ideas, images and values – which otherwise have been lost.
IV.1) Changing facet of the United States.
IV .2) In the past few years – U.S.A trying to break – concept of monotonous “ white” – time for healthier social understanding.
V.1) Culture determines artist’s acknowledgement.
V.2) Demographics – argued change in society as per culture. Controllers of markets and institutions – appreciations of the artist’s.
VI. 1) Awareness is a slow process.
VI.2) Differences – not just ‘racial’ in nature – also other forms like gender, class, belief system religion, politics. Change not a sudden activity so the difference in the boundaries are segregated slowly.
VII.1) ‘Quality’ as a notion amongst the artist’s too.
VII.2) it is said that racism does not interfere with art. But the notion of good taste – social order- not possible. Art – controlled- specific group of people- artist’s work- according to – the buyers of their work. Many artist’s – unaware of the differene- choose a different path- follow self censorship.
VIII.1) Limits to the equality of the racist often caused by the political statements in art.
VIII.2) Good piece of art – by the pupil of colour- acknowledged by silence or with tears of pleasure- followed by dark truths of separations and competition.
IX.1) Artist’s work is also influenced by his community.
IX.2) Great challenge – artists – creates something – affects community. Often – silenced – by notion “ art speaks for itself” – forge responsibilities – stereotypes himself and his community.
X.1) Do we actually follow the theme of universality in art?
X.2) Advocates of cultural democracy – wide view of art – but regarded as the “lowest denominator of art” Art does not actually reach the lower strata of people – detached from their lives.
XI.1) Artists must acknowledge the source of there work of indigenous cultures.
XI.2) Modernism – made way – various cultural amalgamations. No proper responses – by the whites – should have humility for others.
XII.1) Art of the third world nations should focus on the modern day’s requirements to create bodings.
XII.2) Art according to different cultural backgrounds – view on the pros and cons – not on the new context – from which new understanding can evolve enhancing growth and mutual understanding. Dynamism is required.
XIII.1) Post modernism view.
XIII.2) post modern analysis – not to consider other cultures passive and western civilisation superior.
XIV .1) Rights of the women and the artist’s of the colour.
XIV.2) Constant struggle – perceive as “subject” rather than “ object” – independence of work and identity. 1960’s – feminist movement – recreation of identity – equality
with Euro Americans.
XV.1) Is subjectivity a problem?
XV.2) Appreciation of “nationalism” can also be a problem. Our politics is essentially becoming rebellious. Artist’s suddenly – creating – own perspectives – threat to society.
XVI.1) Personal subjectivity also alluding to the relationships between “ first” and “ third” world countries.
XVI.2) Threat – not only personal – also cause several tensions – conservative and radical discourses.
XVII.1) reconstruction leading to intectualization .
XVII.2) The author encourages destabilisation – helps to reconstruct – invention of identity – amalgamation of conscious past and budding new ideas.
XVIII.1) Unfamiliarity encourages creativity.
XVIII.2) There is a mission for art to. Culture includes entire fabric of life. Art, when view from different angles forms beautiful art objects with new definitions.
XIX.1) The artist’s approach.
XIX.2) Artist’s – belief, hope and heal. Have a common idea towards an ethnocentric culture.
XX.I) Differences in a process of resolving but the naming of categories remains the same.
XX.2) Frustration – opposition – contradiction involved – cross cultural system. Convenient places – women and pupil of colour – naming remains the same.
XXI.1) Artist’s of colour replace third world Artists.
XXI.2) Accepted in 1970’s – third world courtiers – people of colour born in – according to artist Paul Kagawa, artist’s create works- supporting values of ruling class – ruling class artist’s create no matter what colour an vice versa.
XXII.1) Does geography define third world and first world countries?
XXII.2) Question came up in 1988 – according to Korean American artist’s Yong Soon Mui – even within economically developed countries – third world – politically valid- indicates resistance to third world imperialism and had experienced of colonialism.
XXIII.1) “ Minority” artists – another used term.
XXIII.2) Among the artists – people of colour – minority – only in US and Canada - but not globally.
XXIV.1) Concept of mixed or cross- cultural.
XXIV.2) The author uses the terms mixed or cross cultural instead of using multi cultural or multi racial – because of working together – includes the whites too.
XXV.1) The term “ethnic”.
XXV.2) Ethnicism is also now an excluded phenomenon – posing problems between people.
XXVI.1) Author’s instance on the word “intercultural” .
XXVI.2) The author prefers “intercultural” to cross-cultural- term suggests broader meaning – up to the centre.
WORK CITED:
Lippard,Lucy R.”Mapping.”Art in Modern Culture:An Anthology of Critical Texts.
Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris . London / Newyork. Phaidon,
1992. Print.
1024115
CIA 2
MEL132 WESTERNAESTHETICS
15July,2010
Map of the essay “Mapping” by Lucy R. Lippard.
I.1) Multiculturalism
I.2) ‘Multiculturalism’ – East Indian scholars Kumkum Sangari observes – ‘ poised in a liminal space – having broken out of binary opposition between circular and linear – gives third space and time - to emerge’. The author here suggests as per white ethnographer James Clifford’s view – not to look on elements of foreign culture - only to make – her own culture – unexplained.
II.1) Racism enhances cultural difference.
II.2) The term race – commonly denotes culture – social phenomenon – historical background – harm to economic interest – expands ethnic difference.
III.1) Cultural biasness can be fruitful to the neglected races.
III.2) The contribution – underestimated races – not overlooked. In the Euro-American society – presence of the ideas of Africans, native Americans, Asians and Latino cultures can be felt. Rejections – ideas – subjugated races – resulted – development – prominent ideas, images and values – which otherwise have been lost.
IV.1) Changing facet of the United States.
IV .2) In the past few years – U.S.A trying to break – concept of monotonous “ white” – time for healthier social understanding.
V.1) Culture determines artist’s acknowledgement.
V.2) Demographics – argued change in society as per culture. Controllers of markets and institutions – appreciations of the artist’s.
VI. 1) Awareness is a slow process.
VI.2) Differences – not just ‘racial’ in nature – also other forms like gender, class, belief system religion, politics. Change not a sudden activity so the difference in the boundaries are segregated slowly.
VII.1) ‘Quality’ as a notion amongst the artist’s too.
VII.2) it is said that racism does not interfere with art. But the notion of good taste – social order- not possible. Art – controlled- specific group of people- artist’s work- according to – the buyers of their work. Many artist’s – unaware of the differene- choose a different path- follow self censorship.
VIII.1) Limits to the equality of the racist often caused by the political statements in art.
VIII.2) Good piece of art – by the pupil of colour- acknowledged by silence or with tears of pleasure- followed by dark truths of separations and competition.
IX.1) Artist’s work is also influenced by his community.
IX.2) Great challenge – artists – creates something – affects community. Often – silenced – by notion “ art speaks for itself” – forge responsibilities – stereotypes himself and his community.
X.1) Do we actually follow the theme of universality in art?
X.2) Advocates of cultural democracy – wide view of art – but regarded as the “lowest denominator of art” Art does not actually reach the lower strata of people – detached from their lives.
XI.1) Artists must acknowledge the source of there work of indigenous cultures.
XI.2) Modernism – made way – various cultural amalgamations. No proper responses – by the whites – should have humility for others.
XII.1) Art of the third world nations should focus on the modern day’s requirements to create bodings.
XII.2) Art according to different cultural backgrounds – view on the pros and cons – not on the new context – from which new understanding can evolve enhancing growth and mutual understanding. Dynamism is required.
XIII.1) Post modernism view.
XIII.2) post modern analysis – not to consider other cultures passive and western civilisation superior.
XIV .1) Rights of the women and the artist’s of the colour.
XIV.2) Constant struggle – perceive as “subject” rather than “ object” – independence of work and identity. 1960’s – feminist movement – recreation of identity – equality
with Euro Americans.
XV.1) Is subjectivity a problem?
XV.2) Appreciation of “nationalism” can also be a problem. Our politics is essentially becoming rebellious. Artist’s suddenly – creating – own perspectives – threat to society.
XVI.1) Personal subjectivity also alluding to the relationships between “ first” and “ third” world countries.
XVI.2) Threat – not only personal – also cause several tensions – conservative and radical discourses.
XVII.1) reconstruction leading to intectualization .
XVII.2) The author encourages destabilisation – helps to reconstruct – invention of identity – amalgamation of conscious past and budding new ideas.
XVIII.1) Unfamiliarity encourages creativity.
XVIII.2) There is a mission for art to. Culture includes entire fabric of life. Art, when view from different angles forms beautiful art objects with new definitions.
XIX.1) The artist’s approach.
XIX.2) Artist’s – belief, hope and heal. Have a common idea towards an ethnocentric culture.
XX.I) Differences in a process of resolving but the naming of categories remains the same.
XX.2) Frustration – opposition – contradiction involved – cross cultural system. Convenient places – women and pupil of colour – naming remains the same.
XXI.1) Artist’s of colour replace third world Artists.
XXI.2) Accepted in 1970’s – third world courtiers – people of colour born in – according to artist Paul Kagawa, artist’s create works- supporting values of ruling class – ruling class artist’s create no matter what colour an vice versa.
XXII.1) Does geography define third world and first world countries?
XXII.2) Question came up in 1988 – according to Korean American artist’s Yong Soon Mui – even within economically developed countries – third world – politically valid- indicates resistance to third world imperialism and had experienced of colonialism.
XXIII.1) “ Minority” artists – another used term.
XXIII.2) Among the artists – people of colour – minority – only in US and Canada - but not globally.
XXIV.1) Concept of mixed or cross- cultural.
XXIV.2) The author uses the terms mixed or cross cultural instead of using multi cultural or multi racial – because of working together – includes the whites too.
XXV.1) The term “ethnic”.
XXV.2) Ethnicism is also now an excluded phenomenon – posing problems between people.
XXVI.1) Author’s instance on the word “intercultural” .
XXVI.2) The author prefers “intercultural” to cross-cultural- term suggests broader meaning – up to the centre.
WORK CITED:
Lippard,Lucy R.”Mapping.”Art in Modern Culture:An Anthology of Critical Texts.
Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris . London / Newyork. Phaidon,
1992. Print.
Mapping of the essay by Geeta D. Lakkanvar
Geeta.D.Lakkanavar.
1024127,
M.A. 1st, English
CIA –II
MEL132
WESTERN AESTHETICS
Date 15/07/2010
A Map of Pollock Griselda’s
“Vision, Voice and Power – Feminist art history and Marxism”
1 paragraph= social art history, what it includes the various verities that lead to diversification and disintegration but that present essence is the opposite form of what is mentioned above.
Social art history – various verities like formalist, modernist, sub Freudian, filmic, radical etc.-diversification and disintegration – present form –includes –co-existence -a means to access the old debates .
2 paragraph = connection of art with Marxist cultural theory and historical practice and how interact with power structure on society and art was tied to specific classes . Society’s structural aspect of in equality at the point of material production between sexes.
Connection of art – Marxist cultural theory-historical practice – art interaction – with power structure – critical approach - Marxism – Marxist art history - art confining – to specific classes – societal structural relation - in equality – material production – feudal or capitalistic – patriarchal .
3 paragraph = emphasis on the domination and exploitation by sexes to more basic level of the conflict between classes. And feminist art movement which reference to specifically to the experience of women and exposure of feminism.
Domination ,exploitation – sex – focus of feminist- art history- any time, period , location – modern era- feminist art movement – experience of women- feminism exposure- towards – new areas- new forms- analysis- kinship – construction – sexuality- reproduction – labour – cultural – prime aim – signification – art form – out come – sense perception – art history - reflection – cultural history
4 paragraph = speaks about the development of various types of art history which are nothing but the reflection of cultural production based on imperatives of both Marxism and feminism.
Development - various types - art history – reflection - cultural production – basis – Marxism and feminism – mutual transformation – Marxism and feminism.
5 paragraph = art restriction towards areas.
Art – confined – universities – colleges- museum – art galleries – effective signification of art – art universal form.
6 paragraph = focus is on the precondition and concept of art with present reference . cultural ideas of individual are based on the creativity.
Precondition - concept of art – cultural ideas – individual – creativity – social obstacle – as out come of art – shaped - improvement of society – through TV channels - middle class people.
7 paragraph = connection between the creativity and the man
Connection – creativity - man – artist – man - creation of art – by man.
8 paragraph = explains the place of women and the research that has been done by different scholars
Gabhart and broun – expose – relationship between – language and ideology- question – no place for women in the languages – women – followed – contradiction paths.
9 paragraph = shows the stratification of the women occupation which determines the art and creativity among individual.
Stratification – women occupation- determines art creativity- mirror – between – ideology and economy art – self fulfilling – individual – creative activity – biological aspect – men’s in evitable greatness – women eternal second rates - cultural recognition.
10 paragraph= it makes the brief conclusion about women artist and their position, movement and the way it was followed.
Feminist – refused necessary – confrontation – mainstream – art historical ideologies – practices – feminist – in corporate of style and movement – liberal policies – within art – feminism – conference – diverting – sideline – space for – add articles – academic journals.
The summary of essay
Writer has stated that he is not interested in the social history of art which includes various verities like formalist, modernist, sub Freudian, filmic, feminist, radical etc . For diversifications and disintegration. the present essence is the opposite form of the what is mentioned above. It is not the concentration, the possibility of the argument instead of the this deadly co-existence , a means to access to the old debates . this is what the history of art has to offer.
These are the views that T.J clark mentions in his ‘on the conditions artistic creation’ The times literary supplement,24 may 1974,p562.
Writers views lies upon the connection of the art with Marxist cultural theory and historical practice. During the mid 20th century art historians embraced social history by using critical approaches. The goal is to show how art interact with power structure in society . one critical approach that art historians used was Marxism . Marxist art history attempted to show how art was tied to specific classes. How images can make status quo seem natural. Yet society is structured by relations of inequality at the point of material production and between sexes. The domination and exploitation by sex to more basic level of conflict between classes. As Griselda Pollock a prominent feminist art historian has rightly pointed out while feminist art history can focus on any time period and location, much attention has been given to the modern era.
Feminism has exposed new areas and new forms of analysis of kinship, construction of gender, and sexuality reproduction labour and of course culture. The development of various of types art history which are nothing but the reflection of cultural production based on imperatives of both Marxism and feminism. It also focuses why the art should restricted to confined areas like locked up universities or colleges and musty basement of museum. The art should universal.
The essay speaks about precondition and concept of the art with present reference. Cultural ideas of individual are based on the creativity and genius artist will always overcome social obstacles. There is a connection between creativity and man. The essay also emphasizes stratification of the women occupation which determines the art and creativity among individuals. It if of course the mirror image here between ideology and the economy. Art is presented to us as the idea of self fulfilling individual creative activity.
Works cited : Pollock Griselda “Vision, Voice and Power, Feminist art history and Marxism” : an anthology of critical texts.
Eds “ Franscina and Jonathan Harris. London New York : Phaidon, 1992.print.
1024127,
M.A. 1st, English
CIA –II
MEL132
WESTERN AESTHETICS
Date 15/07/2010
A Map of Pollock Griselda’s
“Vision, Voice and Power – Feminist art history and Marxism”
1 paragraph= social art history, what it includes the various verities that lead to diversification and disintegration but that present essence is the opposite form of what is mentioned above.
Social art history – various verities like formalist, modernist, sub Freudian, filmic, radical etc.-diversification and disintegration – present form –includes –co-existence -a means to access the old debates .
2 paragraph = connection of art with Marxist cultural theory and historical practice and how interact with power structure on society and art was tied to specific classes . Society’s structural aspect of in equality at the point of material production between sexes.
Connection of art – Marxist cultural theory-historical practice – art interaction – with power structure – critical approach - Marxism – Marxist art history - art confining – to specific classes – societal structural relation - in equality – material production – feudal or capitalistic – patriarchal .
3 paragraph = emphasis on the domination and exploitation by sexes to more basic level of the conflict between classes. And feminist art movement which reference to specifically to the experience of women and exposure of feminism.
Domination ,exploitation – sex – focus of feminist- art history- any time, period , location – modern era- feminist art movement – experience of women- feminism exposure- towards – new areas- new forms- analysis- kinship – construction – sexuality- reproduction – labour – cultural – prime aim – signification – art form – out come – sense perception – art history - reflection – cultural history
4 paragraph = speaks about the development of various types of art history which are nothing but the reflection of cultural production based on imperatives of both Marxism and feminism.
Development - various types - art history – reflection - cultural production – basis – Marxism and feminism – mutual transformation – Marxism and feminism.
5 paragraph = art restriction towards areas.
Art – confined – universities – colleges- museum – art galleries – effective signification of art – art universal form.
6 paragraph = focus is on the precondition and concept of art with present reference . cultural ideas of individual are based on the creativity.
Precondition - concept of art – cultural ideas – individual – creativity – social obstacle – as out come of art – shaped - improvement of society – through TV channels - middle class people.
7 paragraph = connection between the creativity and the man
Connection – creativity - man – artist – man - creation of art – by man.
8 paragraph = explains the place of women and the research that has been done by different scholars
Gabhart and broun – expose – relationship between – language and ideology- question – no place for women in the languages – women – followed – contradiction paths.
9 paragraph = shows the stratification of the women occupation which determines the art and creativity among individual.
Stratification – women occupation- determines art creativity- mirror – between – ideology and economy art – self fulfilling – individual – creative activity – biological aspect – men’s in evitable greatness – women eternal second rates - cultural recognition.
10 paragraph= it makes the brief conclusion about women artist and their position, movement and the way it was followed.
Feminist – refused necessary – confrontation – mainstream – art historical ideologies – practices – feminist – in corporate of style and movement – liberal policies – within art – feminism – conference – diverting – sideline – space for – add articles – academic journals.
The summary of essay
Writer has stated that he is not interested in the social history of art which includes various verities like formalist, modernist, sub Freudian, filmic, feminist, radical etc . For diversifications and disintegration. the present essence is the opposite form of the what is mentioned above. It is not the concentration, the possibility of the argument instead of the this deadly co-existence , a means to access to the old debates . this is what the history of art has to offer.
These are the views that T.J clark mentions in his ‘on the conditions artistic creation’ The times literary supplement,24 may 1974,p562.
Writers views lies upon the connection of the art with Marxist cultural theory and historical practice. During the mid 20th century art historians embraced social history by using critical approaches. The goal is to show how art interact with power structure in society . one critical approach that art historians used was Marxism . Marxist art history attempted to show how art was tied to specific classes. How images can make status quo seem natural. Yet society is structured by relations of inequality at the point of material production and between sexes. The domination and exploitation by sex to more basic level of conflict between classes. As Griselda Pollock a prominent feminist art historian has rightly pointed out while feminist art history can focus on any time period and location, much attention has been given to the modern era.
Feminism has exposed new areas and new forms of analysis of kinship, construction of gender, and sexuality reproduction labour and of course culture. The development of various of types art history which are nothing but the reflection of cultural production based on imperatives of both Marxism and feminism. It also focuses why the art should restricted to confined areas like locked up universities or colleges and musty basement of museum. The art should universal.
The essay speaks about precondition and concept of the art with present reference. Cultural ideas of individual are based on the creativity and genius artist will always overcome social obstacles. There is a connection between creativity and man. The essay also emphasizes stratification of the women occupation which determines the art and creativity among individuals. It if of course the mirror image here between ideology and the economy. Art is presented to us as the idea of self fulfilling individual creative activity.
Works cited : Pollock Griselda “Vision, Voice and Power, Feminist art history and Marxism” : an anthology of critical texts.
Eds “ Franscina and Jonathan Harris. London New York : Phaidon, 1992.print.
Mapping of the essay by Sneha Roy
SNEHA ROY
1024116
CIA 2
MEL 132
WESTERN AESTHETICS
JULY 15, 2010
Map of the Essay “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” by Walter Benjamin.
Paragraph 1:
How has art changed over the years?
Marx undertook the critique of capitalism - power not to be restricted to bourgeois – proletariat to be given power – seize power through social revolution.
Transformation of superstructure - slower than that of substructure.
Theses about the art of proletariat after gaining power-or art of class society – less bearing when compared to developmental tendencies of art under present production conditions - Dialectic of theses noticeable in the superstructure and economy-theses push aside outmoded concepts-creativity, genius, mystery-concepts.
Paragraph 2:
What are the different forms of art that have evolved through ages?
Art has been reproducible – man made artifacts imitated by men - replicas were made by third parties for material gain - mechanical production of art - advanced intermittently and leaps inn long intervals - Greeks knew two procedures – founding, stamping - made only bronzes, terracotta and coins - others being unique could not be mechanically reproduced - introduction of woodcut - art became mechanically reproducible - script had not become reproducible by print - engraving and etching added during middle ages - lithography introduced in the nineteenth century.
New stage in reproduction with lithography - direct process - tracing the design on stone - no incision on a block of wood required - production possible on large scale - market friendly - everyday life portrayed - able to keep pace with printing.
Photography takes over lithography - freed the hands - depended on the eye and the lens - process was accelerated - eye could perceive faster than the hands – could keep pace with speech-lithography virtually implied newspaper – photography foreshadowed film.
1900 - technical production attains a standard-all transmitted work s of art reproducible - bring change in the impact on people’s mind-made a place among the artistic processes.
It is important to study the repercussions of the two different manifestations - the reproduction of works of art and the art of the film to have an idea of the influence they have had on art in its traditional form.
Paragraph 3:
Does reproduction make a work of art timeless?
Most perfect work of art in present time lacks its presence in time and space - work of art determines the history to which it belonged-and its survival through ages - includes changes in physical condition - changes in ownership and so on - traces of its time can be revealed by chemical or physical analysis - impossible on a work of reproduction - original work is required to test its authenticity - chemical production of patina of bronze could help establish its authenticity - likewise manuscripts from the fifteenth century would give the authentication of it being from the Middle ages.
Manual reproduction - branded as forgery - original maintained authority - but not so in technical reproduction-example photography - a technical reproduction-brings out those aspects of the original which are unattainable to the naked eye-accessible only through lens-adjustable - can be taken from different angles - can capture images which escape natural vision – technical reproduction - important form – can substitute the copy of the originals in situations where original is out of reach-enables original to meet the beholder halfway. In a given situation, the mechanical production may not touch upon the actual work of art - the quality depreciates - instance - a landscape which passes in review before the spectator in a movie. Talking about an object of art - the authenticity is interrupted by reproduction - but natural landscape is free from interruption in this context - reproduction of art object jeopardizes the authority of the object.
It is said, that which withers in the age of mechanical production is the aura of the work of art - indicative process. It can be said that technique of reproduction detaches the object reproduced from the domain of tradition-unique existence substituted by a plurality of copies - in permitting so, it reactivates the objects in permitting the reproduction to meet the beholder in his own unique perception - these processes lead to two things - shattering of tradition - obverse of contemporary crisis - renewal of mankind - both process closely related to contemporary mass movement - most powerful agent being film - social significance in positive form can be brought to light only through its cathartic aspect which leads to liquidification of traditional value-phenomenon can be traced in historical films.
Paragraph 4:
What is Aura?
Aura of natural ones - unique phenomenon of a distance-instance, on a summer afternoon when our eyes follow a mountain range on the horizon or a branch which casts its shadow - we experience the aura of the mountains and of the branch - these make it easy for us to comprehend the social bases of decay of aura-rests on two circumstances - both related to increasing significance of masses in contemporary life - the desire of the mass to bring things closer - spatially and humanly - similar to their inclination towards overcoming the uniqueness of every object by accepting its reproduction - the urge to get hold of a reproduction of any object or truth keeps growing. Reproduction offered through various mediums differs from that seen through unarmed eye. Uniqueness and permanence related to the reality of objects – transitoriness and reproducibility related to the mechanical production of the replica of real objects.
Inquisitiveness about an object - destruction of its aura - sense of the universal equality of things - increased to a degree to such an extent that even the unique objects lose their aura through reproduction.
Paragraph 5:
Art and Tradition
Uniqueness of work of art - inseparable from tradition - tradition alive and mutable - Ancient statue of Venus - for Greeks, object of veneration - for clerics - ominous idol - carries different connotations in different ages - both confronted with uniqueness - the aura. Integration of art in tradition - found expression in cult - earliest art works in service of ritual - magical - religious. Aura of work of art-never separated from ritual function.
Ritualistic basis - despite being remote - recognizable as secularized ritual - even in profane forms of cult of beauty. Secular cult of beauty - emerged during renaissance - continued for three centuries - shows decline in ritualistic basis. Advent of revolutionary means - reproduction - photography - rise of socialism - art sensed the crisis. Art came up with a doctrine - gave rise to negative theology - in the context of the idea of pure-denied social function of art - denied any categorization based on subject matter - Mallarme - the first to take this position. Analysis of art in age of mechanical reproduction - gives us an insight into the world history - frees work of art from dependence on ritual. Work of art reproduced becomes work of art designed for reproducibility - number of prints made by one photographic negative - demanding authentic print - baseless. Paradoxically - authenticity of an artistic production is important - function of art may get reversed - lead to another practice - Politics.
Paragraph 6:
Art and Exhibition
Works of art valued on two planes - importance given to the cult value - exhibition of the work. Artistic production - ceremonial objects - destined to serve cult. Assumed - existence mattered - not the work of art being on view. Emancipation of art practices from ritual - exhibition opportunities increased - easier to exhibit a movable portrait when compared to that which has a static place in the temple - holds true for painting – mosaic fresco - static. Different methods of reproduction - exhibition possibilities increased - quantitative shift turned into qualitative transformation of its nature. Compared to art of prehistoric times - absolute importance on cult value - initially an instrument of magic - later recognized as work of art.
Today emphasis on exhibition values - acquires new dimension through different functions - photography - films - add an extra bit to the original.
Paragraph 7:
Influence of different forms of Art
Mechanical production - changes reaction of masses towards art - reactionary attitude towards Picasso’s paintings - changes to progressive reaction in a Chaplin movie - influenced by - direct, intimate fusion of visual and emotional enjoyment - social significance - sharper distinction between criticism and enjoyment. Conventional - uncritically enjoyed - new form - criticised with aversion. In films - critical and receptive attitude coincide - reason - individual reaction - predetermined by mass audience - most pronounced in films - once the response gets manifested they control each other. Comparison with painting - painting - viewed by one or few - contemplation by large public - nineteenth century - early symptom of crisis of painting - not due to photography - depended on the appeal of art to the masses.
Painting - unable to produce simultaneous collective experience - architecture, epic, poems, movies could do that - this should not lead to a conclusion about social role of painting - though constitutes a threat - when confronted directly by masses - Middle ages - no collective reception of painting-graduated and hierarchies mediation. Though, public exhibition of paintings - reception of masses not organized and controlled. Same public - progressive response to grotesque film - reactionary attitude to surrealism.
Paragraph 8:
Film
Characteristics of a film-manner of presentation of a man to the equipment - representation of his environment - occupational psychology illustrates testing capacity of equipment - psychoanalysis - different perspective. Film - enriched perception - methods by Freudian theory. Earlier slip of tongue - unnoticed - now - reveals the depths of conversation. Film behavior - lends readily to analysis - precise statements and situation - can be isolated more easily - juxtaposition of arts and science in cinema
Paragraph 9:
Dadaism
Foremost task of art - creation of a demand - fully satisfied later.
History of art form shows - art forms aspiring to have effects - attainable with changed technical standard - new art form. Crudities of art - evolve from decadent epochs-arise from nucleus of richest historical energies. Abundance of barbarism - found in Dadaism - impulse distinguishable - attempt to create effects - pictorial - literary - public seeks in films today.
Dadaism - sacrificed market value - characteristic feature of a film not an intentional effort - attached less importance to sales value. Poems – obscenities - waste product of language - true for paintings - achieved relentless destruction of aura of creations -already branded reproduction with production. Decline of middle class - contemplation -asocial behavior - countered by distraction. Dadaists - assured vehement distraction - made works of art - centre for scandal - public outrage.
Alluring appearance - instrument of ballistics - hit spectators like bullets - promoted demand for film - the distracting element - changes of place and focus - assail the spectator. Comparison - screen - film - unfolds - canvas of a painting. Painting -spectator’s contemplation - spectator can abandon associations before watching it - image on screen keeps shifting - scenes cannot be arrested - process of association with images - interrupted due to constant and sudden change - shock effect of the film - cushioned by the presence of mind.
Paragraph 10:
Transformation in Art
Mass is a matrix - traditional bahaviour towards art has new form - quantity transmuted into quality - increased mass participation - changed mode of participation. New mode of participation - initially disreputable - should not confuse spectator - yet spirited attacks against superficiality - Duhamel objects the kind of participation movie evokes - calls movies - pastime for helots - ancient lament - mass seeks distraction - art demands concentration - question remains - provision of platform for analysis of the film - distraction - concentration - polar opposites - man who concentrates before an art - absorbed by it - distracted person - ability to master tasks in distractions - solution becomes habit. Individuals avoid controlling tasks - art takes up important and difficult ones - mobilise the masses. Film - reception in distraction - cult value recedes in background - public as critic - though absent minded.
Paragraph 11:
Conclusion
Growing proleterianization - increasing formation of masses - aspects of the same process. Fascism - organizes newly created proletarian masses - no affect on property structure - introduction of aesthetics into political life. Efforts to render political aesthetics - leads to war - can set goal for mass movement - mobilizes all of technical resources. Futurists - war is beautiful - establishes man’s dominion over subjugated machinery - enriches flowering meadow with machine guns - creates new architecture -big tanks - geometrical formations.
Aesthetics of today’s war-naturalization of productive forces - increase in technical devices. Destructiveness of war shows - society not mature - not sufficiently developed.
Mankind - in Homer’s time - object of contemplation for Olympian gods - now - one for self - self alienation - reached to a destructive degree.
Work Cited:
Benjamin, Walter. “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” Art in Modern Culture: An
Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/New York:
Phaidon, 1992. Print.
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WESTERN AESTHETICS
JULY 15, 2010
Map of the Essay “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” by Walter Benjamin.
Paragraph 1:
How has art changed over the years?
Marx undertook the critique of capitalism - power not to be restricted to bourgeois – proletariat to be given power – seize power through social revolution.
Transformation of superstructure - slower than that of substructure.
Theses about the art of proletariat after gaining power-or art of class society – less bearing when compared to developmental tendencies of art under present production conditions - Dialectic of theses noticeable in the superstructure and economy-theses push aside outmoded concepts-creativity, genius, mystery-concepts.
Paragraph 2:
What are the different forms of art that have evolved through ages?
Art has been reproducible – man made artifacts imitated by men - replicas were made by third parties for material gain - mechanical production of art - advanced intermittently and leaps inn long intervals - Greeks knew two procedures – founding, stamping - made only bronzes, terracotta and coins - others being unique could not be mechanically reproduced - introduction of woodcut - art became mechanically reproducible - script had not become reproducible by print - engraving and etching added during middle ages - lithography introduced in the nineteenth century.
New stage in reproduction with lithography - direct process - tracing the design on stone - no incision on a block of wood required - production possible on large scale - market friendly - everyday life portrayed - able to keep pace with printing.
Photography takes over lithography - freed the hands - depended on the eye and the lens - process was accelerated - eye could perceive faster than the hands – could keep pace with speech-lithography virtually implied newspaper – photography foreshadowed film.
1900 - technical production attains a standard-all transmitted work s of art reproducible - bring change in the impact on people’s mind-made a place among the artistic processes.
It is important to study the repercussions of the two different manifestations - the reproduction of works of art and the art of the film to have an idea of the influence they have had on art in its traditional form.
Paragraph 3:
Does reproduction make a work of art timeless?
Most perfect work of art in present time lacks its presence in time and space - work of art determines the history to which it belonged-and its survival through ages - includes changes in physical condition - changes in ownership and so on - traces of its time can be revealed by chemical or physical analysis - impossible on a work of reproduction - original work is required to test its authenticity - chemical production of patina of bronze could help establish its authenticity - likewise manuscripts from the fifteenth century would give the authentication of it being from the Middle ages.
Manual reproduction - branded as forgery - original maintained authority - but not so in technical reproduction-example photography - a technical reproduction-brings out those aspects of the original which are unattainable to the naked eye-accessible only through lens-adjustable - can be taken from different angles - can capture images which escape natural vision – technical reproduction - important form – can substitute the copy of the originals in situations where original is out of reach-enables original to meet the beholder halfway. In a given situation, the mechanical production may not touch upon the actual work of art - the quality depreciates - instance - a landscape which passes in review before the spectator in a movie. Talking about an object of art - the authenticity is interrupted by reproduction - but natural landscape is free from interruption in this context - reproduction of art object jeopardizes the authority of the object.
It is said, that which withers in the age of mechanical production is the aura of the work of art - indicative process. It can be said that technique of reproduction detaches the object reproduced from the domain of tradition-unique existence substituted by a plurality of copies - in permitting so, it reactivates the objects in permitting the reproduction to meet the beholder in his own unique perception - these processes lead to two things - shattering of tradition - obverse of contemporary crisis - renewal of mankind - both process closely related to contemporary mass movement - most powerful agent being film - social significance in positive form can be brought to light only through its cathartic aspect which leads to liquidification of traditional value-phenomenon can be traced in historical films.
Paragraph 4:
What is Aura?
Aura of natural ones - unique phenomenon of a distance-instance, on a summer afternoon when our eyes follow a mountain range on the horizon or a branch which casts its shadow - we experience the aura of the mountains and of the branch - these make it easy for us to comprehend the social bases of decay of aura-rests on two circumstances - both related to increasing significance of masses in contemporary life - the desire of the mass to bring things closer - spatially and humanly - similar to their inclination towards overcoming the uniqueness of every object by accepting its reproduction - the urge to get hold of a reproduction of any object or truth keeps growing. Reproduction offered through various mediums differs from that seen through unarmed eye. Uniqueness and permanence related to the reality of objects – transitoriness and reproducibility related to the mechanical production of the replica of real objects.
Inquisitiveness about an object - destruction of its aura - sense of the universal equality of things - increased to a degree to such an extent that even the unique objects lose their aura through reproduction.
Paragraph 5:
Art and Tradition
Uniqueness of work of art - inseparable from tradition - tradition alive and mutable - Ancient statue of Venus - for Greeks, object of veneration - for clerics - ominous idol - carries different connotations in different ages - both confronted with uniqueness - the aura. Integration of art in tradition - found expression in cult - earliest art works in service of ritual - magical - religious. Aura of work of art-never separated from ritual function.
Ritualistic basis - despite being remote - recognizable as secularized ritual - even in profane forms of cult of beauty. Secular cult of beauty - emerged during renaissance - continued for three centuries - shows decline in ritualistic basis. Advent of revolutionary means - reproduction - photography - rise of socialism - art sensed the crisis. Art came up with a doctrine - gave rise to negative theology - in the context of the idea of pure-denied social function of art - denied any categorization based on subject matter - Mallarme - the first to take this position. Analysis of art in age of mechanical reproduction - gives us an insight into the world history - frees work of art from dependence on ritual. Work of art reproduced becomes work of art designed for reproducibility - number of prints made by one photographic negative - demanding authentic print - baseless. Paradoxically - authenticity of an artistic production is important - function of art may get reversed - lead to another practice - Politics.
Paragraph 6:
Art and Exhibition
Works of art valued on two planes - importance given to the cult value - exhibition of the work. Artistic production - ceremonial objects - destined to serve cult. Assumed - existence mattered - not the work of art being on view. Emancipation of art practices from ritual - exhibition opportunities increased - easier to exhibit a movable portrait when compared to that which has a static place in the temple - holds true for painting – mosaic fresco - static. Different methods of reproduction - exhibition possibilities increased - quantitative shift turned into qualitative transformation of its nature. Compared to art of prehistoric times - absolute importance on cult value - initially an instrument of magic - later recognized as work of art.
Today emphasis on exhibition values - acquires new dimension through different functions - photography - films - add an extra bit to the original.
Paragraph 7:
Influence of different forms of Art
Mechanical production - changes reaction of masses towards art - reactionary attitude towards Picasso’s paintings - changes to progressive reaction in a Chaplin movie - influenced by - direct, intimate fusion of visual and emotional enjoyment - social significance - sharper distinction between criticism and enjoyment. Conventional - uncritically enjoyed - new form - criticised with aversion. In films - critical and receptive attitude coincide - reason - individual reaction - predetermined by mass audience - most pronounced in films - once the response gets manifested they control each other. Comparison with painting - painting - viewed by one or few - contemplation by large public - nineteenth century - early symptom of crisis of painting - not due to photography - depended on the appeal of art to the masses.
Painting - unable to produce simultaneous collective experience - architecture, epic, poems, movies could do that - this should not lead to a conclusion about social role of painting - though constitutes a threat - when confronted directly by masses - Middle ages - no collective reception of painting-graduated and hierarchies mediation. Though, public exhibition of paintings - reception of masses not organized and controlled. Same public - progressive response to grotesque film - reactionary attitude to surrealism.
Paragraph 8:
Film
Characteristics of a film-manner of presentation of a man to the equipment - representation of his environment - occupational psychology illustrates testing capacity of equipment - psychoanalysis - different perspective. Film - enriched perception - methods by Freudian theory. Earlier slip of tongue - unnoticed - now - reveals the depths of conversation. Film behavior - lends readily to analysis - precise statements and situation - can be isolated more easily - juxtaposition of arts and science in cinema
Paragraph 9:
Dadaism
Foremost task of art - creation of a demand - fully satisfied later.
History of art form shows - art forms aspiring to have effects - attainable with changed technical standard - new art form. Crudities of art - evolve from decadent epochs-arise from nucleus of richest historical energies. Abundance of barbarism - found in Dadaism - impulse distinguishable - attempt to create effects - pictorial - literary - public seeks in films today.
Dadaism - sacrificed market value - characteristic feature of a film not an intentional effort - attached less importance to sales value. Poems – obscenities - waste product of language - true for paintings - achieved relentless destruction of aura of creations -already branded reproduction with production. Decline of middle class - contemplation -asocial behavior - countered by distraction. Dadaists - assured vehement distraction - made works of art - centre for scandal - public outrage.
Alluring appearance - instrument of ballistics - hit spectators like bullets - promoted demand for film - the distracting element - changes of place and focus - assail the spectator. Comparison - screen - film - unfolds - canvas of a painting. Painting -spectator’s contemplation - spectator can abandon associations before watching it - image on screen keeps shifting - scenes cannot be arrested - process of association with images - interrupted due to constant and sudden change - shock effect of the film - cushioned by the presence of mind.
Paragraph 10:
Transformation in Art
Mass is a matrix - traditional bahaviour towards art has new form - quantity transmuted into quality - increased mass participation - changed mode of participation. New mode of participation - initially disreputable - should not confuse spectator - yet spirited attacks against superficiality - Duhamel objects the kind of participation movie evokes - calls movies - pastime for helots - ancient lament - mass seeks distraction - art demands concentration - question remains - provision of platform for analysis of the film - distraction - concentration - polar opposites - man who concentrates before an art - absorbed by it - distracted person - ability to master tasks in distractions - solution becomes habit. Individuals avoid controlling tasks - art takes up important and difficult ones - mobilise the masses. Film - reception in distraction - cult value recedes in background - public as critic - though absent minded.
Paragraph 11:
Conclusion
Growing proleterianization - increasing formation of masses - aspects of the same process. Fascism - organizes newly created proletarian masses - no affect on property structure - introduction of aesthetics into political life. Efforts to render political aesthetics - leads to war - can set goal for mass movement - mobilizes all of technical resources. Futurists - war is beautiful - establishes man’s dominion over subjugated machinery - enriches flowering meadow with machine guns - creates new architecture -big tanks - geometrical formations.
Aesthetics of today’s war-naturalization of productive forces - increase in technical devices. Destructiveness of war shows - society not mature - not sufficiently developed.
Mankind - in Homer’s time - object of contemplation for Olympian gods - now - one for self - self alienation - reached to a destructive degree.
Work Cited:
Benjamin, Walter. “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” Art in Modern Culture: An
Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/New York:
Phaidon, 1992. Print.
Mapping of the essay by Vandana U
Vandana U
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MEL 132
Western Aesthetics
15 July 2010
Map of Benjamin HD Buchloh’s essay- Figures of authority, Ciphers of Regression: Notes on return of Representation in European Painting
I. 1. Crisis of new and old
2. The essay begins with a crisis being explained
Old— dying— new— cannot be born— appearance— morbid symptoms
II. 1. Phenomena of visual order in restored art
2. This paragraph deals with questions the essayist poses:
Visual links, systems— order—what, how? questions- how— made almost mandatory— deem— return of imaging- painting (1915) important move. Achievement of masters? Or—servants of audience yearning for restoration —-- images of recognizability. Visual productions— Renaissance— broken down-- mid 19th Century— re-instated. Shifts— re-affirmed in an ontological (reality, existence) condition. Other systems outside the realm— positioned— fill new visual systems with historic legitimacy. Links creating phenomena —mimetic— cause-effect, mechanical reaction- forever spawning traditional representation.
III. 1. Relationship between the phenomena
2. Gives examples— Stances— Neue Sachlichkeit, Pittura Metafisca paved way— final takeover— authoritarian styles- Fascist (Germany, Italy), Socialist Realism (Stalinist Russia). Relationship of the phenomenon discussed— Georg Lukacs— ‘Problems of Realism’. However, doesn’t clarify— system of interaction—- protofascism and reactionary art practices.
Explains with example- realism- Neue Sachlichkeit—apologetic, away from replica of reality thus merges into Fascist heritage.
IV. 1. Conception through choices of modes
2. Appropriate understanding— radical shifts between wars— artists’ decision of selecting modes of production—
Speaks of the assumptions— artists’ awareness of consequences of stances—- for identity and ideology chosen.
V. 1. Extent of impact of rediscovery
2. questions the extent— rediscovery of means— visual imaging— present European art.
Extent—dismantling mounting effect of authoritarianism— as political practice— to acquaint with emerging political realities.
VI. 1. Placing aesthetic developments in historical contexts
2. Makes an analogy— fall of modernist idiom and bankruptcy of capitalist economics— aesthetic rhythms—
i. artistic movements taking to pieces dominant ideology—
ii. Negation— artists— internalize oppression— two ways
- Weaken melancholy
- Flatter reactionary power
Describes collapse— cyclical event— like— crisis of capitalist economics— historical repetition— Thus position present circumstances in historical contexts
VII. 1. Motive of placing the phenomena in historical context
2. Illustrates consequences of not placing in historical context— fail in understanding Avant-Garde’s mission— partner in wrongdoing-- creating passive climate.
Reason—postmodernism ideology— overlooks political oppression— environment— essential to save power structure—
Gives instance— allegory of converting concrete anticipation— viewing in hindsight-examples-
i. melancholy— if at origin— then depravity is also enforced.
ii. Cites placing of Walter Benjamin— The origin of Tragic Drama— Fascist Germany— deals— emblems, rituals— George Steiner— reflection— political tension in critical discussion.
VIII. 1. Instances as Hallmarks of return to traditionl forms of art
2. Explains: return to traditional forms— examples
Modernist idiom— First breakdown— world War I— Mentions movements and artists— end of Cubism (influenced modern art/ geometric shapes) Futurism — Picasso—return to traditional forms. Example— readopting easel painting — valuable commodity revalidated— Illustrates negation by artists of their own begun movements— cause— deadlock. Cover up— creation—“new classicism”— refusal to face own art origins— development of ideas— result— break down of European Bourgeoisie. Validated— artists working in historical contexts. Duchamp/ Malevich
IX. 1. Establishment of art in historical contexts
2. Further explains the historical routes with examples placed in historical context
Persisting arguments— Avant-Garde— example- 1st performance of Tristan Tzara’s Coeur a Gaz— reiteration— end— Cubism— Blaise Cendrars. However, indicates— justifications for regression (1914). Cites examples helped establish new aesthetic orthodoxy— Leonce Roenberg, Maurice Raynal—statement— validate end of cubist culture— establishment—prevalence— ancient systems/ traditions. Picasso— Return marks eclecticism— simplicity— equilibrium— proclaim— New Avant-Garde.
X. 1. Picasso as a cubist
2. Examples-- art pieces of Picasso— 1917— characteristics- number, heterogeneity, decorative— classical portraits, sculptures, peasant drawings,— indicate sensuousness through cubist elements
XI. 1. Style of Picasso’s paintings
2. Description— Maurice Raynal— evident strokes of cubist elements— creating a new language— through their easy availability— interchangeability— instituted as aesthetic commodity— type that removed embodiment of any kind. Picasso— Three Musicians.
XII. 1. Moving towards allegory
2. Furthermore, transformation— material ideology to personification, psychosexual origins— symbolic shift— allegorical mode: concrete extending to fantasy. Negation—- yearning— immovable abstraction. Desire— no imitation— now— completion of desiring process— progress towards art of allegory.
XIII. 1. Further development of ideas on allegory
2. Move towards allegory— evident— representations of Metafisca— De Chirico, Carra—Futurism— paralleled cubism— capture speed/ force of modern society— De Chirico describes— unknown/ threatening acts— however elements of Impressionism seen- joy in metaphysical— tragedy of joy— compared to calm before storm. Movement towards Fascism.
XIV. 1. Art activities to restore art
2. This paragraph parallels De Chirico’s paintings to Picasso, elaborating other works that added to restoring of art.
Picasso’s conversion— denouncement— earlier non-representational modes by futurists— rejected ‘collage’ technique (Gris’s techniques— addition of paper on painting surface)— validated with example— Severini (Maternity) and Carra. Transfer of Carra’s— non-mimetic— verbal fragments— mechanization of visuals to biblical sketches— Tuscan.
XV. 1. Mastery of Art, thus right to dominate
2. Rediscovery of history— purpose served— authoritarian— substantiates the fall/ failure of modernism— barbaric/ crude notion of artist— re-built— purposing progress of culture— lesser known elite group— assuring them rights. Comparison to Russia, on other hand— opposite definition— developing— interconnection— aesthetic elements and autonomy.
Examples Girgio De Chirico’s idea revolving— superficial knowledge of art is done for— politics, literature, painting. Francis Phabia— Socialism for the weak— Picasso— dictatorship of painters
XVI. 1. Attempting to save non-viable artistic practices
2. Artists— senile— obstinate—- attempt to save lost/ invalid cultural practice.
Illustrated with example of German Dadaist Chritian Schad— defining Neue Sachlichkeit— Renaissance mode— costumes.
Comparison to Raphael— Analogy of good painter and painting well— Italy— ancient art newer than new art— knowledge— choice— high in Italy— varied.
XVII. 1. Factors seeking to halt modernism
2. Glorification of craft— foundation of past culture— used to realize— solutions and circumstances unachievable in present— Example— glorifying Italy— occur 3 decades- 20th C. Purpose—hiatus in modernism- social and historical through autonomy— symptoms reasoned— artists—- later validated by art historians— imbibed later in culture.
XVIII. 1. Using Style to imbue historical meaning
2. Style— significant part of art-historical thinking— fiction of pictorial mode— traditionally rejected—- applied present— instill worn out modes— historical sense—-- “-wasms to –isms” offensive variation in historicism— put forth— postmodernist—- Charles Jencks
XIX. 1. Style as a commodity due to historical connotation
2. Style— ideological equivalent of commodity.
Repeats— availability and possibility of swapping as in Picasso— maintain distribution— audacities convert to rituals— paintings appear as quoting history.
3. This can be compared to how the essayist describes the cubist elements in Picasso’s paintings, described in paragraph XI as shop with display of cubist inventions and discoveries.
XX. 1. Eclectic nature: symbols as grounds of purpose
2. Features of eclecticism— not haphazard— instead— detailed, systematic network— though can be read differently— grounds of purpose of author, interest of audience, etc. Transformation— rebellious to affirming production— apparent in every bit of detail. Obvious step— history sought as treasure. Cites example: visual of Italian theatre— comprehensible due to this. Through this develops understanding of ciphers of imposed regression— become emblems— represent weakened avant-garde artist. example of image of clown— powerless, submissive— mockery— these ascertain historical failure.
XXI. 1. More characteristics of the eclectic
2. Explains further the concept of the eclectic nature— transparent as a masquerade— separation from history— marks return of the subdued— necessary for functioning of historicism—consolidate fragments— according— degree of projection, identifying needs through images of past. Contrasted to collage (modern)— drawbacks of it— bare, irresolvable contradictions— etc— historicist on other hand— seeks blend—unity— whole.
Unity—perfidious— aesthetic pleasure is false— Resolving dilemma of modernist (ideas- autonomy/ self) — historicist— negates particularization.
XXII. 1. Characteristics of perceptual and cognitive models of artistic production
2. Artistic production— Perceptual, cognitive models—similar— libidinal apparatus— generates and receives.
Models— independent of contexts— therefore easily connotative.
Once exhausted— nostalgia similar to that of obsolete visual representations sets in— void of history, sense— repositioned in history appropriately to contexts.
XXIII. 1. Using obsolete modes in context and sense
2. Attach meaning to obsolete modes— present— radical, new
Obsolescence— contradicts regressive phenomena— labeled innovation. Adiition of “new”, “neo”. Sarcastic expression of using the prefix—
Example—German neo-expressionists— restored wide recognition also operated on premise of historical availability to discover newness.
XXIV. 1. The criteria of aesthetic evaluation
2. Intention of artist— though universality of concept— however cater to specific parts only— contrary to claims.
Criteria of aesthetic evaluation- if expressivity, sensuousness— confrontation with ugly and magnificent both— sublime notion is reaffirmed by alienation and loss. Example- Robinson, Vogel Suffering— personal struggle— powerlessness, despair-- -apparent due to status quo of bourgeoisie.
XXV. 1. An attempt to remain utopian
2. Aesthetic constructs- labeled— ‘sublime’— modernist high culture artists in question— proven sustenance of utopian thought— and instead of changing conditions— shifted rebellious actions into aesthetic. Reaffirms— despair and powerlessness— acknowledges cynically its drawbacks- material, perceptual, cognitive forms— primitive
XXVI. 1. Bourgeois perception and mode of experience in paintings
2. Paintings converted to aesthetic— perceived— sensuous, expressive, animated— glorify— practice of instant pleasure and postponed gratification— the bourgeois mode— countered in negation— Avant-Garde. Model— appropriate positioning— revival of obsolete visual practices
Cites example of Balthus— scopophilic pictures— become ‘new’ figuration. Interesting— no female amongst German neo-expressionists. Role distinctions— based on sexual difference— revisits concept— psychosexual organizations.
XXVII. 1. Painting and sexuality
2. Abandoning painting as sexual metaphor— meant formal, aesthetic changes— and critique of traditional modes of suppression.
Example- Duchamp and androgyny— ban individual ownership and favour collective practice— However— paintings with naïve presuppositions— immediate representation of artist’s intention in traditional mode (complicit with psychosexual aspect) — more effective than paintings which enquire into own procedures.
Example of concealment in Expressionism (Carol Duncan): Distortion of reality— implied meanings in paintings— women portrayed as objects of specialized male interest— marks on a sexual level. Artist if regards women--- means--- must sell himself— promote authenticity.
XXVIII. 1. Sexual and artistic role as an aesthetic equivalent
2. Sexual role— fetishized— aesthetically corresponds to cultural identity— rely on 2 major shifts— Fauvism, Expressionism and before Duchamp and Constructivism— during claim to unity.
XXIX. 1. Relationship between regressions in postmodernism and neoclassicism
2. Similarity in regressions (postmodern) and Neoclassicism (Picasso)- eclecticism— repeats the idea— origin from historical context— consolidated from fragments— maintain decorum— maintain cultural practices.
XXX. 1. Revival of contemporary works by Italians
2. Through— quotation, historical production, visual modes, aesthetic sense.
Techniques— fresco, sculpture, primitivsit drawing, gestural abstraction. Establishing modes— etchings, murals, etc.
XXXI. 1. Unearthing production modes
2. German neo-expressionists disinterred modes— primitivist wood sculpture, teutonic graphics— woodcuts, linocuts— assisted better conception— of allegory— forms—nude, still etc.
XXXII. 1. Result of Auratic nature of art
2. Co-existing with fetishization— work— auratic— crucial as fulfill function of luxury. Uniqueness in auratic— satisfies contempt according to bourgeois— aura— spawns aesthetic pleasure— contempt leads to narcissistic nature— example— Meyer Schpiro— conflict of artist with patrons, indifference to social life
XXXIII. 1. Characteristic of aesthetic attraction
2. The last paragraph of the essay deals with:
Eclectic painting practices— originate from nostaligia— becomes the attractive part— by taking a moment from past— modes taken which have historical roots. Contemporary— an attempt to resurrect figuration, visual codes— not due to precedent— but— attempt to re-instill— primary purpose of re-representations— explore ideological domination
Works cited:
Buchloh, Benjamin H D. “Figures of authority, Ciphers of Regression: Notes on return of
Representation in European Painting.” Art in Modern culture: An Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Francina, and Jonathan Harris. London/ New York: Phaidon, 1992. Print.
“Cubism.” Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc, 24 January 2009. Web.
12 July 2010
“Painting.” The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. London/ Chicago/ Sydney, 1992-
1993. Print
1024122
CIA II
MEL 132
Western Aesthetics
15 July 2010
Map of Benjamin HD Buchloh’s essay- Figures of authority, Ciphers of Regression: Notes on return of Representation in European Painting
I. 1. Crisis of new and old
2. The essay begins with a crisis being explained
Old— dying— new— cannot be born— appearance— morbid symptoms
II. 1. Phenomena of visual order in restored art
2. This paragraph deals with questions the essayist poses:
Visual links, systems— order—what, how? questions- how— made almost mandatory— deem— return of imaging- painting (1915) important move. Achievement of masters? Or—servants of audience yearning for restoration —-- images of recognizability. Visual productions— Renaissance— broken down-- mid 19th Century— re-instated. Shifts— re-affirmed in an ontological (reality, existence) condition. Other systems outside the realm— positioned— fill new visual systems with historic legitimacy. Links creating phenomena —mimetic— cause-effect, mechanical reaction- forever spawning traditional representation.
III. 1. Relationship between the phenomena
2. Gives examples— Stances— Neue Sachlichkeit, Pittura Metafisca paved way— final takeover— authoritarian styles- Fascist (Germany, Italy), Socialist Realism (Stalinist Russia). Relationship of the phenomenon discussed— Georg Lukacs— ‘Problems of Realism’. However, doesn’t clarify— system of interaction—- protofascism and reactionary art practices.
Explains with example- realism- Neue Sachlichkeit—apologetic, away from replica of reality thus merges into Fascist heritage.
IV. 1. Conception through choices of modes
2. Appropriate understanding— radical shifts between wars— artists’ decision of selecting modes of production—
Speaks of the assumptions— artists’ awareness of consequences of stances—- for identity and ideology chosen.
V. 1. Extent of impact of rediscovery
2. questions the extent— rediscovery of means— visual imaging— present European art.
Extent—dismantling mounting effect of authoritarianism— as political practice— to acquaint with emerging political realities.
VI. 1. Placing aesthetic developments in historical contexts
2. Makes an analogy— fall of modernist idiom and bankruptcy of capitalist economics— aesthetic rhythms—
i. artistic movements taking to pieces dominant ideology—
ii. Negation— artists— internalize oppression— two ways
- Weaken melancholy
- Flatter reactionary power
Describes collapse— cyclical event— like— crisis of capitalist economics— historical repetition— Thus position present circumstances in historical contexts
VII. 1. Motive of placing the phenomena in historical context
2. Illustrates consequences of not placing in historical context— fail in understanding Avant-Garde’s mission— partner in wrongdoing-- creating passive climate.
Reason—postmodernism ideology— overlooks political oppression— environment— essential to save power structure—
Gives instance— allegory of converting concrete anticipation— viewing in hindsight-examples-
i. melancholy— if at origin— then depravity is also enforced.
ii. Cites placing of Walter Benjamin— The origin of Tragic Drama— Fascist Germany— deals— emblems, rituals— George Steiner— reflection— political tension in critical discussion.
VIII. 1. Instances as Hallmarks of return to traditionl forms of art
2. Explains: return to traditional forms— examples
Modernist idiom— First breakdown— world War I— Mentions movements and artists— end of Cubism (influenced modern art/ geometric shapes) Futurism — Picasso—return to traditional forms. Example— readopting easel painting — valuable commodity revalidated— Illustrates negation by artists of their own begun movements— cause— deadlock. Cover up— creation—“new classicism”— refusal to face own art origins— development of ideas— result— break down of European Bourgeoisie. Validated— artists working in historical contexts. Duchamp/ Malevich
IX. 1. Establishment of art in historical contexts
2. Further explains the historical routes with examples placed in historical context
Persisting arguments— Avant-Garde— example- 1st performance of Tristan Tzara’s Coeur a Gaz— reiteration— end— Cubism— Blaise Cendrars. However, indicates— justifications for regression (1914). Cites examples helped establish new aesthetic orthodoxy— Leonce Roenberg, Maurice Raynal—statement— validate end of cubist culture— establishment—prevalence— ancient systems/ traditions. Picasso— Return marks eclecticism— simplicity— equilibrium— proclaim— New Avant-Garde.
X. 1. Picasso as a cubist
2. Examples-- art pieces of Picasso— 1917— characteristics- number, heterogeneity, decorative— classical portraits, sculptures, peasant drawings,— indicate sensuousness through cubist elements
XI. 1. Style of Picasso’s paintings
2. Description— Maurice Raynal— evident strokes of cubist elements— creating a new language— through their easy availability— interchangeability— instituted as aesthetic commodity— type that removed embodiment of any kind. Picasso— Three Musicians.
XII. 1. Moving towards allegory
2. Furthermore, transformation— material ideology to personification, psychosexual origins— symbolic shift— allegorical mode: concrete extending to fantasy. Negation—- yearning— immovable abstraction. Desire— no imitation— now— completion of desiring process— progress towards art of allegory.
XIII. 1. Further development of ideas on allegory
2. Move towards allegory— evident— representations of Metafisca— De Chirico, Carra—Futurism— paralleled cubism— capture speed/ force of modern society— De Chirico describes— unknown/ threatening acts— however elements of Impressionism seen- joy in metaphysical— tragedy of joy— compared to calm before storm. Movement towards Fascism.
XIV. 1. Art activities to restore art
2. This paragraph parallels De Chirico’s paintings to Picasso, elaborating other works that added to restoring of art.
Picasso’s conversion— denouncement— earlier non-representational modes by futurists— rejected ‘collage’ technique (Gris’s techniques— addition of paper on painting surface)— validated with example— Severini (Maternity) and Carra. Transfer of Carra’s— non-mimetic— verbal fragments— mechanization of visuals to biblical sketches— Tuscan.
XV. 1. Mastery of Art, thus right to dominate
2. Rediscovery of history— purpose served— authoritarian— substantiates the fall/ failure of modernism— barbaric/ crude notion of artist— re-built— purposing progress of culture— lesser known elite group— assuring them rights. Comparison to Russia, on other hand— opposite definition— developing— interconnection— aesthetic elements and autonomy.
Examples Girgio De Chirico’s idea revolving— superficial knowledge of art is done for— politics, literature, painting. Francis Phabia— Socialism for the weak— Picasso— dictatorship of painters
XVI. 1. Attempting to save non-viable artistic practices
2. Artists— senile— obstinate—- attempt to save lost/ invalid cultural practice.
Illustrated with example of German Dadaist Chritian Schad— defining Neue Sachlichkeit— Renaissance mode— costumes.
Comparison to Raphael— Analogy of good painter and painting well— Italy— ancient art newer than new art— knowledge— choice— high in Italy— varied.
XVII. 1. Factors seeking to halt modernism
2. Glorification of craft— foundation of past culture— used to realize— solutions and circumstances unachievable in present— Example— glorifying Italy— occur 3 decades- 20th C. Purpose—hiatus in modernism- social and historical through autonomy— symptoms reasoned— artists—- later validated by art historians— imbibed later in culture.
XVIII. 1. Using Style to imbue historical meaning
2. Style— significant part of art-historical thinking— fiction of pictorial mode— traditionally rejected—- applied present— instill worn out modes— historical sense—-- “-wasms to –isms” offensive variation in historicism— put forth— postmodernist—- Charles Jencks
XIX. 1. Style as a commodity due to historical connotation
2. Style— ideological equivalent of commodity.
Repeats— availability and possibility of swapping as in Picasso— maintain distribution— audacities convert to rituals— paintings appear as quoting history.
3. This can be compared to how the essayist describes the cubist elements in Picasso’s paintings, described in paragraph XI as shop with display of cubist inventions and discoveries.
XX. 1. Eclectic nature: symbols as grounds of purpose
2. Features of eclecticism— not haphazard— instead— detailed, systematic network— though can be read differently— grounds of purpose of author, interest of audience, etc. Transformation— rebellious to affirming production— apparent in every bit of detail. Obvious step— history sought as treasure. Cites example: visual of Italian theatre— comprehensible due to this. Through this develops understanding of ciphers of imposed regression— become emblems— represent weakened avant-garde artist. example of image of clown— powerless, submissive— mockery— these ascertain historical failure.
XXI. 1. More characteristics of the eclectic
2. Explains further the concept of the eclectic nature— transparent as a masquerade— separation from history— marks return of the subdued— necessary for functioning of historicism—consolidate fragments— according— degree of projection, identifying needs through images of past. Contrasted to collage (modern)— drawbacks of it— bare, irresolvable contradictions— etc— historicist on other hand— seeks blend—unity— whole.
Unity—perfidious— aesthetic pleasure is false— Resolving dilemma of modernist (ideas- autonomy/ self) — historicist— negates particularization.
XXII. 1. Characteristics of perceptual and cognitive models of artistic production
2. Artistic production— Perceptual, cognitive models—similar— libidinal apparatus— generates and receives.
Models— independent of contexts— therefore easily connotative.
Once exhausted— nostalgia similar to that of obsolete visual representations sets in— void of history, sense— repositioned in history appropriately to contexts.
XXIII. 1. Using obsolete modes in context and sense
2. Attach meaning to obsolete modes— present— radical, new
Obsolescence— contradicts regressive phenomena— labeled innovation. Adiition of “new”, “neo”. Sarcastic expression of using the prefix—
Example—German neo-expressionists— restored wide recognition also operated on premise of historical availability to discover newness.
XXIV. 1. The criteria of aesthetic evaluation
2. Intention of artist— though universality of concept— however cater to specific parts only— contrary to claims.
Criteria of aesthetic evaluation- if expressivity, sensuousness— confrontation with ugly and magnificent both— sublime notion is reaffirmed by alienation and loss. Example- Robinson, Vogel Suffering— personal struggle— powerlessness, despair-- -apparent due to status quo of bourgeoisie.
XXV. 1. An attempt to remain utopian
2. Aesthetic constructs- labeled— ‘sublime’— modernist high culture artists in question— proven sustenance of utopian thought— and instead of changing conditions— shifted rebellious actions into aesthetic. Reaffirms— despair and powerlessness— acknowledges cynically its drawbacks- material, perceptual, cognitive forms— primitive
XXVI. 1. Bourgeois perception and mode of experience in paintings
2. Paintings converted to aesthetic— perceived— sensuous, expressive, animated— glorify— practice of instant pleasure and postponed gratification— the bourgeois mode— countered in negation— Avant-Garde. Model— appropriate positioning— revival of obsolete visual practices
Cites example of Balthus— scopophilic pictures— become ‘new’ figuration. Interesting— no female amongst German neo-expressionists. Role distinctions— based on sexual difference— revisits concept— psychosexual organizations.
XXVII. 1. Painting and sexuality
2. Abandoning painting as sexual metaphor— meant formal, aesthetic changes— and critique of traditional modes of suppression.
Example- Duchamp and androgyny— ban individual ownership and favour collective practice— However— paintings with naïve presuppositions— immediate representation of artist’s intention in traditional mode (complicit with psychosexual aspect) — more effective than paintings which enquire into own procedures.
Example of concealment in Expressionism (Carol Duncan): Distortion of reality— implied meanings in paintings— women portrayed as objects of specialized male interest— marks on a sexual level. Artist if regards women--- means--- must sell himself— promote authenticity.
XXVIII. 1. Sexual and artistic role as an aesthetic equivalent
2. Sexual role— fetishized— aesthetically corresponds to cultural identity— rely on 2 major shifts— Fauvism, Expressionism and before Duchamp and Constructivism— during claim to unity.
XXIX. 1. Relationship between regressions in postmodernism and neoclassicism
2. Similarity in regressions (postmodern) and Neoclassicism (Picasso)- eclecticism— repeats the idea— origin from historical context— consolidated from fragments— maintain decorum— maintain cultural practices.
XXX. 1. Revival of contemporary works by Italians
2. Through— quotation, historical production, visual modes, aesthetic sense.
Techniques— fresco, sculpture, primitivsit drawing, gestural abstraction. Establishing modes— etchings, murals, etc.
XXXI. 1. Unearthing production modes
2. German neo-expressionists disinterred modes— primitivist wood sculpture, teutonic graphics— woodcuts, linocuts— assisted better conception— of allegory— forms—nude, still etc.
XXXII. 1. Result of Auratic nature of art
2. Co-existing with fetishization— work— auratic— crucial as fulfill function of luxury. Uniqueness in auratic— satisfies contempt according to bourgeois— aura— spawns aesthetic pleasure— contempt leads to narcissistic nature— example— Meyer Schpiro— conflict of artist with patrons, indifference to social life
XXXIII. 1. Characteristic of aesthetic attraction
2. The last paragraph of the essay deals with:
Eclectic painting practices— originate from nostaligia— becomes the attractive part— by taking a moment from past— modes taken which have historical roots. Contemporary— an attempt to resurrect figuration, visual codes— not due to precedent— but— attempt to re-instill— primary purpose of re-representations— explore ideological domination
Works cited:
Buchloh, Benjamin H D. “Figures of authority, Ciphers of Regression: Notes on return of
Representation in European Painting.” Art in Modern culture: An Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Francina, and Jonathan Harris. London/ New York: Phaidon, 1992. Print.
“Cubism.” Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc, 24 January 2009. Web.
12 July 2010
“Painting.” The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. London/ Chicago/ Sydney, 1992-
1993. Print
Mapping of the essay by Mariya Izzy
Mariya Izzy
1024107
CIA 2
MEL 132
Western Aesthetics
July 15, 2010
Map of the Essay “The Love of Art” by Pierre Bourdieu and Alain Darbel.
Paragraph 1:
In the language of religion, the question of cultural salvation is raised.
Religion of art – fundamentalists – modernists – question – cultural salvation –
language of grace. Pierre Francastel – tone-deaf people – see shapes, – intelligent
people – not seeing – disconcerting, – less cultivated – true vision. Sound –
mysticism of salvation? Heart – own order; – intellect – principle –
demonstration. Resources of salvation – few, – praise – simplicity – children –
ignorant: – wisdom – childhood. Simple people – no argument. Mystical
representation – aesthetic experience – gift – artistic vision, – ‘the eye’ – selected
few, – others – ‘poor in spirit’.
Paragraph 2:
Asceticism directs towards the beatific vision.
Contrast – fundamentalists – modernists – real. Fundamentalists – place,
instrument of worship – faithful – rendered – state – receive grace. Bareness –
lack of ornamentation – encourages asceticism – leads to beatific vision. Visitor
– welcomed – museum, – full of excitement – cross – threshold – silence.
Disposition – predispositions, – no rational teaching, – how – conditions – created
– to awaken – potentialities – dormant in people? Visitors – not separated –
differences – arbitrary distribution of gifts.
Paragraph 3:
It is not possible to divide a line between visitors of different class and origin.
Discriminating – complicated, – disinteresting. Certain museums – consider –
outmoded – inconvenient, – no efforts made – no experiments – impossible.
Paragraph 4:
The already enlightened must give way to the curious.
Erwin Panofsky: – Saint Bernard – what – gold – sanctuary – Suger – gorgeous
vestments – altar vessels – laid out – church – secular persons – out –
accommodate – great crowd – no disturbances – larger church – admit – curious –
display – relics – avoid – rioting.
Paragraph 5:
Art is blissful.
Some think – ritual asceticism – Cistercian starkness – not – only – to attain communion, – offer – easy paths – invoke patronage – one who purchases precious stones – rare vases – stained glass windows – enamels – fabrics, – anticipated – unselfish rapacity – modern museum director. Power of work of art – miraculous persuasion – convert/retain – souls of noble birth. Adherents – method of elevation – material works of art – enlightenment.
Paragraph 6:
Museums must exhibit powerful art leaving behind a strong impact on the observer.
Objects – plastic value – perceptible. Museum – drowsy visitor – thrilled. Tourism – historical and artistic curiosity. Instead – advantages – one loses way – educational processes – superficial knowledge transmitted – intellectual concepts. Lower classes – not reachable. Pictorial art – attraction – increased. Rene Huyghe – art – never before – greatly appreciated, – intensively analysed and explained. Museum – speaks – language of the times – known to all. Museum – way of life. Intelligently organized publicity – new following.
Paragraph 7:
Authorities must fulfil the demands of modern day people.
Authorities – respond – needs – demands – modern population – gripped – new spiritual hunger – new terrestrial nourishnment.
Paragraph 8:
Not only cultivated people, but every person has a sense of the taste of art.
Ancients – moderns – abandon – fortunes of cultural salvation – inexplicable vagaries of grace – arbitrary distribution of ‘gifts’. Cultivated people – logic of predestination – virtues devalued if acquired, – convince themselves – ‘education is innate’.
Paragraph 9: (Conclusion)
A work of art is to be felt and not learnt.
Trouble taken – express – few obvious truths. People will say – what point – where and when Van Gogh was born – ups and downs of his life? True art lovers – pleasure counts. Sociology – ignore – through reductive and disillusioning agnosticism. Sociologist –suspected – disputing – sincerity of aesthetic pleasure, – always describes – conditions of existence. Love of art – acknowledge its origins – prefers strange coincidences – predestined – collective conditions and conditionings.
Paragraph 10:
Objects as complicated as works of learned culture cannot create natural preferences by their own power.
Awareness – admiration of works of art – haunts – aesthetic pleasure. History of individual or collective taste – refute – objects as works of learned culture, – capable – create natural preferences – own power. Pedagogic authority – break – cultural needs’ circle – cultural practice – formed – regular and prolonged practice: – Children – borrow – family disposition to cultural practice – till they acquire their own – giving rise – arbitrary and initially arbitrarily imposed practice. Designating certain works of art or places – worthy to be visited – authorities – determine – works worthy of admiration and enjoyment. Produces culture – through inculcation – results – complete masking – arbitrary nature of the inculcation. Myth of innate taste – recurrent illusion of cultivated nature – part of education – imposition of an arbitrary – imposing a disregard of arbitrary nature of imposed meanings – their manner.
Paragraph 11:
Art or anything cannot derive pleasure in a person without the person having foreknowledge about it.
Sociologist – not refute Kant’s phrase: – ‘the beautiful is that which pleases without concept’, – but defines – social conditions – making this experience possible – determine its limit.
Sociologist establishes – things which please – their concept is understood. Aesthetic pleasure in its learned form – presupposes learning by habit and exercise – in reality is a cultivated pleasure.
Paragraph 12:
Realization of culture is paradoxically defined as naturalization.
Kant called ‘barbarous taste’ – at variance – Kantian description of cultivates taste – in reality – demonstrates – hidden truth of cultivated taste. Hegel set against – ‘realized ethics’, – pure aesthetic – opposed – aesthetic – in cultivated taste – no less than a ‘second nature’, – sublimates primary nature. Judgement of taste – subjective experience – free – won over common culture. Paradox – realization of culture – naturalization. Masters of judgement of taste – experience – aesthetic grace – free from constraints of culture, – little sign of apprenticeship, – social conditions and conditionings – making it possible – seems as an obvious fact, – also an outrage.
Paragraph 13:
To raise a culture, its socio-historical conditions, good or bad, must not be realized.
Culture – to be enhanced – social and historical conditions – making possible complete possession and dispossession of culture – remain unnoticed.
Paragraph 14:
A cultivated nature, which is graceful and talented, acquires a central place in bourgeois society.
Cultivated nature – learned – deserved – condition for existence of charismatic ideology – allows – top place – bourgeois society. Heir of bourgeois – unable to invoke rights of birth and nature – or aesthetic virtues allowing first generation – justify their merit, – call cultivated nature ‘class’, – Freudian slip – not on education or distinction – but namely heritage. Link between culture and education – forgotten or denied. Cultural gift – produces blindness – functions of the institution – ensuring profitability of cultural inheritance. School – positively irreproachable verdicts – transforms inequalities of culture, success – or talent in other words – are also inequalities of merit.
Paragraph 15:
Society divided into barbarians and civilized people but the latter has monopoly of the instruments of appropriation of cultural goods.
Distinguishing other classes – fields of economy or culture, – increasing strictly economic differences – created by pure possession of material goods – and of symbolic goods such as works of art, – search for symbolic distinctions – use the linguists’ word ‘distinction’ – mark of difference – as Littre said – separated from vulgar – ‘by a character of elegance, nobility and good form’, – privileged classes – replace difference between two cultures, – with basic difference between two natures – naturally and unnaturally cultivated nature. Cultured people – believe in barbarism – hide social conditions – making culture as second nature, – and legitimacy of a particular definition of culture. Society divided – cultured people – derive justification – their monopoly – appropriation of cultural goods.
Paragraph 16:
Artists and their world of art separated from the world of everyday life.
Love of art – clear mark of the chosen – those touched and untouched by it – museums in their tiniest details – betray their true function – reinforce for some the feeling of belonging and some the feeling of exclusion. Ancient palaces or large historic residences – bourgeois society deposits relics – not their own past, – concluding – world of art – opposed to everyday life – just as sacred to profane: – untouchability of objects, silence, huge galleries – reminders – transition from profane to sacred world – Durkheim says – ‘ a veritable metamorphosis’, – radical transformation of mind – relation between two worlds – delicate operation – great precautions – complicated initiation, – impossible. Work of art – requires dispositions or predispositions – bestows sanction – chosen. – Work of art – awaken the grace of aesthetic inspiration, – produce conditions of its own diffusion – sanction – attribution of all abilities – fates of grace – arbitrary of ‘talent’, – in reality they are a product of unequal education – regard inherited aptitudes as virtues inherent – natural and commendable.
Paragraph 17:
Museums are open to all and yet reserved for some others who claim to possess a love for art.
Museum – public heritage – monuments of past splendor – instruments glorifying great people of the times: – false generosity, – free entry is optional entry – reserved – people having the ability to appropriate works of art – make use of this freedom – find themselves legitimated in their privilege, – Max Weber – their monopoly of cultural goods and salvation.
Comments:
Museums and places of art exhibitions are visited only by those people who claim to acquire a special taste for art. They consider this art to be innate. But it is not so. This taste for art and its subsequent derivation of pleasure in people is an acquired taste. It cannot by itself create natural preferences by their own power. Children borrow the disposition of their families at first and then acquire their own disposition to practice. Societies divide its people into classes and such individuals claiming to have an innate sense of art are placed at the top level in the bourgeois society. They assume to have an ‘eye’ for art and distinguish those who cannot understand it as being ‘poor in spirit’.
Work Cited:
Bourdieu, Pierre, and Alain Darbel. “The Love of Art.” Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of
Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/New York: Phaidon,
1992. Print.
“The Love of Art: European Art Museums and Their Public Book Description.” Infibeam.com.
2010. Web. 14 July 2010.
1024107
CIA 2
MEL 132
Western Aesthetics
July 15, 2010
Map of the Essay “The Love of Art” by Pierre Bourdieu and Alain Darbel.
Paragraph 1:
In the language of religion, the question of cultural salvation is raised.
Religion of art – fundamentalists – modernists – question – cultural salvation –
language of grace. Pierre Francastel – tone-deaf people – see shapes, – intelligent
people – not seeing – disconcerting, – less cultivated – true vision. Sound –
mysticism of salvation? Heart – own order; – intellect – principle –
demonstration. Resources of salvation – few, – praise – simplicity – children –
ignorant: – wisdom – childhood. Simple people – no argument. Mystical
representation – aesthetic experience – gift – artistic vision, – ‘the eye’ – selected
few, – others – ‘poor in spirit’.
Paragraph 2:
Asceticism directs towards the beatific vision.
Contrast – fundamentalists – modernists – real. Fundamentalists – place,
instrument of worship – faithful – rendered – state – receive grace. Bareness –
lack of ornamentation – encourages asceticism – leads to beatific vision. Visitor
– welcomed – museum, – full of excitement – cross – threshold – silence.
Disposition – predispositions, – no rational teaching, – how – conditions – created
– to awaken – potentialities – dormant in people? Visitors – not separated –
differences – arbitrary distribution of gifts.
Paragraph 3:
It is not possible to divide a line between visitors of different class and origin.
Discriminating – complicated, – disinteresting. Certain museums – consider –
outmoded – inconvenient, – no efforts made – no experiments – impossible.
Paragraph 4:
The already enlightened must give way to the curious.
Erwin Panofsky: – Saint Bernard – what – gold – sanctuary – Suger – gorgeous
vestments – altar vessels – laid out – church – secular persons – out –
accommodate – great crowd – no disturbances – larger church – admit – curious –
display – relics – avoid – rioting.
Paragraph 5:
Art is blissful.
Some think – ritual asceticism – Cistercian starkness – not – only – to attain communion, – offer – easy paths – invoke patronage – one who purchases precious stones – rare vases – stained glass windows – enamels – fabrics, – anticipated – unselfish rapacity – modern museum director. Power of work of art – miraculous persuasion – convert/retain – souls of noble birth. Adherents – method of elevation – material works of art – enlightenment.
Paragraph 6:
Museums must exhibit powerful art leaving behind a strong impact on the observer.
Objects – plastic value – perceptible. Museum – drowsy visitor – thrilled. Tourism – historical and artistic curiosity. Instead – advantages – one loses way – educational processes – superficial knowledge transmitted – intellectual concepts. Lower classes – not reachable. Pictorial art – attraction – increased. Rene Huyghe – art – never before – greatly appreciated, – intensively analysed and explained. Museum – speaks – language of the times – known to all. Museum – way of life. Intelligently organized publicity – new following.
Paragraph 7:
Authorities must fulfil the demands of modern day people.
Authorities – respond – needs – demands – modern population – gripped – new spiritual hunger – new terrestrial nourishnment.
Paragraph 8:
Not only cultivated people, but every person has a sense of the taste of art.
Ancients – moderns – abandon – fortunes of cultural salvation – inexplicable vagaries of grace – arbitrary distribution of ‘gifts’. Cultivated people – logic of predestination – virtues devalued if acquired, – convince themselves – ‘education is innate’.
Paragraph 9: (Conclusion)
A work of art is to be felt and not learnt.
Trouble taken – express – few obvious truths. People will say – what point – where and when Van Gogh was born – ups and downs of his life? True art lovers – pleasure counts. Sociology – ignore – through reductive and disillusioning agnosticism. Sociologist –suspected – disputing – sincerity of aesthetic pleasure, – always describes – conditions of existence. Love of art – acknowledge its origins – prefers strange coincidences – predestined – collective conditions and conditionings.
Paragraph 10:
Objects as complicated as works of learned culture cannot create natural preferences by their own power.
Awareness – admiration of works of art – haunts – aesthetic pleasure. History of individual or collective taste – refute – objects as works of learned culture, – capable – create natural preferences – own power. Pedagogic authority – break – cultural needs’ circle – cultural practice – formed – regular and prolonged practice: – Children – borrow – family disposition to cultural practice – till they acquire their own – giving rise – arbitrary and initially arbitrarily imposed practice. Designating certain works of art or places – worthy to be visited – authorities – determine – works worthy of admiration and enjoyment. Produces culture – through inculcation – results – complete masking – arbitrary nature of the inculcation. Myth of innate taste – recurrent illusion of cultivated nature – part of education – imposition of an arbitrary – imposing a disregard of arbitrary nature of imposed meanings – their manner.
Paragraph 11:
Art or anything cannot derive pleasure in a person without the person having foreknowledge about it.
Sociologist – not refute Kant’s phrase: – ‘the beautiful is that which pleases without concept’, – but defines – social conditions – making this experience possible – determine its limit.
Sociologist establishes – things which please – their concept is understood. Aesthetic pleasure in its learned form – presupposes learning by habit and exercise – in reality is a cultivated pleasure.
Paragraph 12:
Realization of culture is paradoxically defined as naturalization.
Kant called ‘barbarous taste’ – at variance – Kantian description of cultivates taste – in reality – demonstrates – hidden truth of cultivated taste. Hegel set against – ‘realized ethics’, – pure aesthetic – opposed – aesthetic – in cultivated taste – no less than a ‘second nature’, – sublimates primary nature. Judgement of taste – subjective experience – free – won over common culture. Paradox – realization of culture – naturalization. Masters of judgement of taste – experience – aesthetic grace – free from constraints of culture, – little sign of apprenticeship, – social conditions and conditionings – making it possible – seems as an obvious fact, – also an outrage.
Paragraph 13:
To raise a culture, its socio-historical conditions, good or bad, must not be realized.
Culture – to be enhanced – social and historical conditions – making possible complete possession and dispossession of culture – remain unnoticed.
Paragraph 14:
A cultivated nature, which is graceful and talented, acquires a central place in bourgeois society.
Cultivated nature – learned – deserved – condition for existence of charismatic ideology – allows – top place – bourgeois society. Heir of bourgeois – unable to invoke rights of birth and nature – or aesthetic virtues allowing first generation – justify their merit, – call cultivated nature ‘class’, – Freudian slip – not on education or distinction – but namely heritage. Link between culture and education – forgotten or denied. Cultural gift – produces blindness – functions of the institution – ensuring profitability of cultural inheritance. School – positively irreproachable verdicts – transforms inequalities of culture, success – or talent in other words – are also inequalities of merit.
Paragraph 15:
Society divided into barbarians and civilized people but the latter has monopoly of the instruments of appropriation of cultural goods.
Distinguishing other classes – fields of economy or culture, – increasing strictly economic differences – created by pure possession of material goods – and of symbolic goods such as works of art, – search for symbolic distinctions – use the linguists’ word ‘distinction’ – mark of difference – as Littre said – separated from vulgar – ‘by a character of elegance, nobility and good form’, – privileged classes – replace difference between two cultures, – with basic difference between two natures – naturally and unnaturally cultivated nature. Cultured people – believe in barbarism – hide social conditions – making culture as second nature, – and legitimacy of a particular definition of culture. Society divided – cultured people – derive justification – their monopoly – appropriation of cultural goods.
Paragraph 16:
Artists and their world of art separated from the world of everyday life.
Love of art – clear mark of the chosen – those touched and untouched by it – museums in their tiniest details – betray their true function – reinforce for some the feeling of belonging and some the feeling of exclusion. Ancient palaces or large historic residences – bourgeois society deposits relics – not their own past, – concluding – world of art – opposed to everyday life – just as sacred to profane: – untouchability of objects, silence, huge galleries – reminders – transition from profane to sacred world – Durkheim says – ‘ a veritable metamorphosis’, – radical transformation of mind – relation between two worlds – delicate operation – great precautions – complicated initiation, – impossible. Work of art – requires dispositions or predispositions – bestows sanction – chosen. – Work of art – awaken the grace of aesthetic inspiration, – produce conditions of its own diffusion – sanction – attribution of all abilities – fates of grace – arbitrary of ‘talent’, – in reality they are a product of unequal education – regard inherited aptitudes as virtues inherent – natural and commendable.
Paragraph 17:
Museums are open to all and yet reserved for some others who claim to possess a love for art.
Museum – public heritage – monuments of past splendor – instruments glorifying great people of the times: – false generosity, – free entry is optional entry – reserved – people having the ability to appropriate works of art – make use of this freedom – find themselves legitimated in their privilege, – Max Weber – their monopoly of cultural goods and salvation.
Comments:
Museums and places of art exhibitions are visited only by those people who claim to acquire a special taste for art. They consider this art to be innate. But it is not so. This taste for art and its subsequent derivation of pleasure in people is an acquired taste. It cannot by itself create natural preferences by their own power. Children borrow the disposition of their families at first and then acquire their own disposition to practice. Societies divide its people into classes and such individuals claiming to have an innate sense of art are placed at the top level in the bourgeois society. They assume to have an ‘eye’ for art and distinguish those who cannot understand it as being ‘poor in spirit’.
Work Cited:
Bourdieu, Pierre, and Alain Darbel. “The Love of Art.” Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of
Critical Texts. Eds. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/New York: Phaidon,
1992. Print.
“The Love of Art: European Art Museums and Their Public Book Description.” Infibeam.com.
2010. Web. 14 July 2010.
Mapping of the essay by Rohit S Nair
Rohit S Nair
1024101
CIA 2
MEL 132
Western Aesthetics
July 15, 2010
A Map of Terry Eagleton’s “Capitalism, Modernism and Postmodernism”
Frederick Jameson argues in his article ‘Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism’-‘Pastiche is the appropriate mode of postmodernist culture-not parody. Pastiche is-imitation of a peculiar mask-speech in dead language-is a neutral practice of such mimicry sans parody’s ulterior motives (satiric impulse, laughter, etc.)’. Terry Eagleton says-excellent point but parody –not alien to postmodernist culture-does exist but not very consciously. What postmodernist culture parodies (with art dissolved into forms of commodity production)- is avant-garde. It is as though postmodernism-a sick joke at the expense of the revolutionary avant-garde. Avant-garde major impulses are-dismantle institutional autonomy of art-erase culture-political society frontiers- return aesthetic production to its humble place-social practices. In postmodernist artifacts-avant-garde dream of art-society integration returns in monstrously caricatured form. Appears as though postmodernism is-cynical revenge wreaked by bourgeois culture upon revolutionary antagonists. Postmodernism-mimes formal resolution of art and society attempted by avant-garde-but sans the political content.
Aesthetics of Post Modernism
Productivist aesthetics of twentieth century avant-garde spurned the notion of-art which would be more material intervention, than ‘reflection’. The aesthetic of postmodernism-a dark parody of anti-representationalism. If art no longer reflects-its because there is no reality that is itself not an image/gratuitous fiction. Social reality- commodified, textured, fetishized. Hence for art to reflect itself-is doing no more than mirroring itself. Commodity-less a reflection-more an image of itself-devoted to self-representation. If artistic unreality mirrors societal unreality-then it does not mirror at all-mirrors nothing real. The point behind this paradox is the historical truth-the thorough integration off postmodernist artefact into an economic system where commodity fetish is the order of the day.
To see art from avant-garde’s vantage point (as practice, strategy, performance, production) is ridiculed by late capitalism-Lyotard points out ‘performativity principle’ is all that counts here. He also points out-capitalism’s massive subordination of cognitive statements to finality of best possible performance. The games of scientific language ‘whoever is rich has a greater chance of being right. Hence it is not difficult to see relation between J L Austin and IBM, etc. Classical models of truth/cognition are out of favour-what matters in whether you deliver commercial or rhetorical goods. Everywhere-goal is no longer truth-but performativity is and also power not reason. Lyotard –having outlined the most oppressive facts of capitalism- has nothing to offer here. It amounts to guerrilla skirmishes of a paralogism which might from time to time rupture-cause instabilities, paradoxes. Good pragmatics turned against bad one-but will lose-because it has abandoned Enlightenment’s grand narrative of human emancipation-which is disreputably metaphysical.
History and Modernity
With all such anarchistic/camusian revolt-modernism can never die-has resurfaced in our own time as paralogical science. Reason modernity can never be worsted, the fact that it does not occupy same temporal terrain/logical space as its antagonists-is exactly why it can never defeat the system. The characteristic post-structuralist blend of pesissism/euphoria springs from this paradox. History and modernity-play endless cat and mouse game-neither able to slay each other-as they occupy different ontological sites. Modernity-really means active forgetting of History-the healthy spontaneous amnesia of an animal who has wilfully let go of its sordid determinations and so is free.Modernity-exact opposite of Walter Benjamin’s ‘revolutionary nostalgia’-the power of active remembrance as ritual summoning-invocation of the traditions of oppressed in violent constellation with political present. No wonder –Lyotard against historical consciousness-celebrates narrative as eternal present not revolutionary recollection of the unjustly supressed. If Lyotard remembered in the Benjaminisque mode-he’d realise that class struggle can’t be rooted out all that easily. Nor can a simplistic binary opposition-the narratives of enlightenment and the paralogistic-be polarized. Benjamin’s difficult-to-be-understood thoughts on history throw such binary post-structuralist scheme into disarray. Benjamin’s tradition-totality exists-but detotalizes a triumphant ruling class history-is always from the pint of view of the present-deconstructs hegemonic ideologies of history-yet is a totalizing movement within which sudden affinities, correspondences, constellations-are fashioned between different struggles.
Defining the concept
Modernism gives rise to-crisis and change. Signifies-portentous, confused yet curiously heightens the three selfs- self-consciousness, self-doubting and self-congratulatory. Suggests-an arresting, denial of history in the immediate present. If modernism lives its history as present-then the present moment is somehowof the future-to future present is just an orientation. The idea of Now-eclipsed by the idea of present as deferment-as an empty openness to the future-which may or may not have yet come. Modern-is to catch up with. The fact that futuristic is used-to donate modernist experiment-issymptomatic of this fact. Modernism is-revaluation of time-the significant shift in temporality(both the meaning and modality). What’s moving-not history but-what’s unleashed by its rupture and suspension. Benjaminisqueness- spatializes and constellalites history-bringing it to a standstill & shimmering with all the silence of crisis/catastrophe.
High modernism-born with a state of mass commodity culture-fact about its internal form and not just external history.Modernism-where art resists commodification-holds out against social forces that degrade it into an exchangeable object. Modernist works-contradict their own material status-deny their shabby economic reality. Modernist work-brackets off real historical world-manipulates to draw instant consumability -draws its own language protectively around it-becoming a mysterious self-explaining object-with no connections with the real. Modernist work-always a form of commodification or other.
The Social World Bracketed
When modernism brackets off real world-it must bracket itself from the political forces too-as they seek to transform the social order. Political modernism exists- but is not characteristic of the movement. When modernist work removes itself from society-paradoxically it reproduces/intensifies aesthetic autonomy- which marks the bourgeois order modernism protests against! Modernist works are works-all free play within them-bourgeois art institutions understand the same. Avant garde-defeated by political history. Post modernism takes another way out. If art is commodity then admit it. Hence commodity-mechanically producible ousts commodity as magical aura. If artifacts-appropriated by ruling order-then pre-empt this fate-don’t suffer. Only commodity can resist commodification.If high modernism-institutionalized-post modernism reacts to such eliticism-it places itself at the base. Like Brecht remarked ‘better start from bad new things than good old ones’.
Post modernism stops there. Brecht’s comment-hints the Marxist habit-extracting progressive moments from an ambivalent reality-very much like avant-garde’s espousal of technology-both to emancipate and to enslave. At later stage of technological capitalism-postmodernism says-bad does not contain good-bad is good- these are metaphysical terms-they don’t have to be affirmed-only accepted.
A Desiring Machine
In some postmodernist theory-injunction to glimpse good in bad-pursued with vengeance. Capitalist technology-desires machines-an enormous circuit of messages-pluralistic idioms multiply-as a result random objects come to glow with intensity.
If we kick metaphysical nostalgia for truth-we’d realize desire is here,now-in fragments and surface-kitsch is quite as good as real thing-because there is no real thing at all! Old fashioned modernism-refuses to abandon the struggle for meaning-caught up in metaphysical depth/wretchedness-mortgaged to the very bourgeois humanism it seeks to subvert.
Modernism-interesting as it struggles for meaning. This drives towards-unacceptable,incapable classical styles of sense making. Traditional ideology of representation-in crisis-yet search of truth-not abandoned. Postmodernism believes-discrediting the representational epistemology is the death of truth-just as how they mistake disintegration of certain ideologies for the subject’s final disappearance. Post modernism persuades-to relinquishepistemological paranoia-embrace the brute objectivity of random subjectivity. Modernism-torn by contradictions between bourgeois humanism and a new anonymous rationality. Modernism’s underminings of traditional humanism-anguished and exhilarate-because there are more problems in the modern epoch. It’s a choice-between feminism and fascism. Western ideologies-of reason and humanities-undecidable. There is difference between meaninglessness by some postmodernist and meaninglessness by some trends of avant-garde injected into bourgeois society.
The Bourgeois Humanist Society
The subject of late capitalism-amalgamation of self regulating synthetic agent posted by classical humanist ideology and a decentered network of desire.Its constitution at ethical, juridical, political levels-not continuous with its mass cultural unit image.Eclecticism-degree zero of contemporary general culture-one listens to reggae, watches western, eats at McDonald’s. Some others-educate their children, vote, withdraw their labour. Many live at the intersection between these two.
Postmodernism-mixes benefits of modernism and avant-garde. From modernism-it inherits “self”-from avant-garde-dissolution of art into social life-rejection of tradition-opposition of high culture. Exposes-residual formalism of radical art form.Contradictions of modernistic work-political in character. Modernist culture-self-reflexive-can explore key ideological issues-at the same stroke render its products unavailable to the public. Art casts-contradictions of modernism-explicitly-politically. To do so effectively-has to learn from modernism-i.e., if it does not present the question of ‘political’-will still seem part of the tradition, modern wants to free itself from.
Work Cited:
Eagleton, Terry: Capitalism, Modernism and Postmodernism. Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds: Franscina, Francis and Jonathan Harris. London New York: Phaidon, 1992. Print.
1024101
CIA 2
MEL 132
Western Aesthetics
July 15, 2010
A Map of Terry Eagleton’s “Capitalism, Modernism and Postmodernism”
Frederick Jameson argues in his article ‘Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism’-‘Pastiche is the appropriate mode of postmodernist culture-not parody. Pastiche is-imitation of a peculiar mask-speech in dead language-is a neutral practice of such mimicry sans parody’s ulterior motives (satiric impulse, laughter, etc.)’. Terry Eagleton says-excellent point but parody –not alien to postmodernist culture-does exist but not very consciously. What postmodernist culture parodies (with art dissolved into forms of commodity production)- is avant-garde. It is as though postmodernism-a sick joke at the expense of the revolutionary avant-garde. Avant-garde major impulses are-dismantle institutional autonomy of art-erase culture-political society frontiers- return aesthetic production to its humble place-social practices. In postmodernist artifacts-avant-garde dream of art-society integration returns in monstrously caricatured form. Appears as though postmodernism is-cynical revenge wreaked by bourgeois culture upon revolutionary antagonists. Postmodernism-mimes formal resolution of art and society attempted by avant-garde-but sans the political content.
Aesthetics of Post Modernism
Productivist aesthetics of twentieth century avant-garde spurned the notion of-art which would be more material intervention, than ‘reflection’. The aesthetic of postmodernism-a dark parody of anti-representationalism. If art no longer reflects-its because there is no reality that is itself not an image/gratuitous fiction. Social reality- commodified, textured, fetishized. Hence for art to reflect itself-is doing no more than mirroring itself. Commodity-less a reflection-more an image of itself-devoted to self-representation. If artistic unreality mirrors societal unreality-then it does not mirror at all-mirrors nothing real. The point behind this paradox is the historical truth-the thorough integration off postmodernist artefact into an economic system where commodity fetish is the order of the day.
To see art from avant-garde’s vantage point (as practice, strategy, performance, production) is ridiculed by late capitalism-Lyotard points out ‘performativity principle’ is all that counts here. He also points out-capitalism’s massive subordination of cognitive statements to finality of best possible performance. The games of scientific language ‘whoever is rich has a greater chance of being right. Hence it is not difficult to see relation between J L Austin and IBM, etc. Classical models of truth/cognition are out of favour-what matters in whether you deliver commercial or rhetorical goods. Everywhere-goal is no longer truth-but performativity is and also power not reason. Lyotard –having outlined the most oppressive facts of capitalism- has nothing to offer here. It amounts to guerrilla skirmishes of a paralogism which might from time to time rupture-cause instabilities, paradoxes. Good pragmatics turned against bad one-but will lose-because it has abandoned Enlightenment’s grand narrative of human emancipation-which is disreputably metaphysical.
History and Modernity
With all such anarchistic/camusian revolt-modernism can never die-has resurfaced in our own time as paralogical science. Reason modernity can never be worsted, the fact that it does not occupy same temporal terrain/logical space as its antagonists-is exactly why it can never defeat the system. The characteristic post-structuralist blend of pesissism/euphoria springs from this paradox. History and modernity-play endless cat and mouse game-neither able to slay each other-as they occupy different ontological sites. Modernity-really means active forgetting of History-the healthy spontaneous amnesia of an animal who has wilfully let go of its sordid determinations and so is free.Modernity-exact opposite of Walter Benjamin’s ‘revolutionary nostalgia’-the power of active remembrance as ritual summoning-invocation of the traditions of oppressed in violent constellation with political present. No wonder –Lyotard against historical consciousness-celebrates narrative as eternal present not revolutionary recollection of the unjustly supressed. If Lyotard remembered in the Benjaminisque mode-he’d realise that class struggle can’t be rooted out all that easily. Nor can a simplistic binary opposition-the narratives of enlightenment and the paralogistic-be polarized. Benjamin’s difficult-to-be-understood thoughts on history throw such binary post-structuralist scheme into disarray. Benjamin’s tradition-totality exists-but detotalizes a triumphant ruling class history-is always from the pint of view of the present-deconstructs hegemonic ideologies of history-yet is a totalizing movement within which sudden affinities, correspondences, constellations-are fashioned between different struggles.
Defining the concept
Modernism gives rise to-crisis and change. Signifies-portentous, confused yet curiously heightens the three selfs- self-consciousness, self-doubting and self-congratulatory. Suggests-an arresting, denial of history in the immediate present. If modernism lives its history as present-then the present moment is somehowof the future-to future present is just an orientation. The idea of Now-eclipsed by the idea of present as deferment-as an empty openness to the future-which may or may not have yet come. Modern-is to catch up with. The fact that futuristic is used-to donate modernist experiment-issymptomatic of this fact. Modernism is-revaluation of time-the significant shift in temporality(both the meaning and modality). What’s moving-not history but-what’s unleashed by its rupture and suspension. Benjaminisqueness- spatializes and constellalites history-bringing it to a standstill & shimmering with all the silence of crisis/catastrophe.
High modernism-born with a state of mass commodity culture-fact about its internal form and not just external history.Modernism-where art resists commodification-holds out against social forces that degrade it into an exchangeable object. Modernist works-contradict their own material status-deny their shabby economic reality. Modernist work-brackets off real historical world-manipulates to draw instant consumability -draws its own language protectively around it-becoming a mysterious self-explaining object-with no connections with the real. Modernist work-always a form of commodification or other.
The Social World Bracketed
When modernism brackets off real world-it must bracket itself from the political forces too-as they seek to transform the social order. Political modernism exists- but is not characteristic of the movement. When modernist work removes itself from society-paradoxically it reproduces/intensifies aesthetic autonomy- which marks the bourgeois order modernism protests against! Modernist works are works-all free play within them-bourgeois art institutions understand the same. Avant garde-defeated by political history. Post modernism takes another way out. If art is commodity then admit it. Hence commodity-mechanically producible ousts commodity as magical aura. If artifacts-appropriated by ruling order-then pre-empt this fate-don’t suffer. Only commodity can resist commodification.If high modernism-institutionalized-post modernism reacts to such eliticism-it places itself at the base. Like Brecht remarked ‘better start from bad new things than good old ones’.
Post modernism stops there. Brecht’s comment-hints the Marxist habit-extracting progressive moments from an ambivalent reality-very much like avant-garde’s espousal of technology-both to emancipate and to enslave. At later stage of technological capitalism-postmodernism says-bad does not contain good-bad is good- these are metaphysical terms-they don’t have to be affirmed-only accepted.
A Desiring Machine
In some postmodernist theory-injunction to glimpse good in bad-pursued with vengeance. Capitalist technology-desires machines-an enormous circuit of messages-pluralistic idioms multiply-as a result random objects come to glow with intensity.
If we kick metaphysical nostalgia for truth-we’d realize desire is here,now-in fragments and surface-kitsch is quite as good as real thing-because there is no real thing at all! Old fashioned modernism-refuses to abandon the struggle for meaning-caught up in metaphysical depth/wretchedness-mortgaged to the very bourgeois humanism it seeks to subvert.
Modernism-interesting as it struggles for meaning. This drives towards-unacceptable,incapable classical styles of sense making. Traditional ideology of representation-in crisis-yet search of truth-not abandoned. Postmodernism believes-discrediting the representational epistemology is the death of truth-just as how they mistake disintegration of certain ideologies for the subject’s final disappearance. Post modernism persuades-to relinquishepistemological paranoia-embrace the brute objectivity of random subjectivity. Modernism-torn by contradictions between bourgeois humanism and a new anonymous rationality. Modernism’s underminings of traditional humanism-anguished and exhilarate-because there are more problems in the modern epoch. It’s a choice-between feminism and fascism. Western ideologies-of reason and humanities-undecidable. There is difference between meaninglessness by some postmodernist and meaninglessness by some trends of avant-garde injected into bourgeois society.
The Bourgeois Humanist Society
The subject of late capitalism-amalgamation of self regulating synthetic agent posted by classical humanist ideology and a decentered network of desire.Its constitution at ethical, juridical, political levels-not continuous with its mass cultural unit image.Eclecticism-degree zero of contemporary general culture-one listens to reggae, watches western, eats at McDonald’s. Some others-educate their children, vote, withdraw their labour. Many live at the intersection between these two.
Postmodernism-mixes benefits of modernism and avant-garde. From modernism-it inherits “self”-from avant-garde-dissolution of art into social life-rejection of tradition-opposition of high culture. Exposes-residual formalism of radical art form.Contradictions of modernistic work-political in character. Modernist culture-self-reflexive-can explore key ideological issues-at the same stroke render its products unavailable to the public. Art casts-contradictions of modernism-explicitly-politically. To do so effectively-has to learn from modernism-i.e., if it does not present the question of ‘political’-will still seem part of the tradition, modern wants to free itself from.
Work Cited:
Eagleton, Terry: Capitalism, Modernism and Postmodernism. Art in Modern Culture: An Anthology of Critical Texts. Eds: Franscina, Francis and Jonathan Harris. London New York: Phaidon, 1992. Print.
Mapping of the essay by Pannaga S.G
Pannaga.S.G
1024108
CIA-2
MEL 132
Western aesthetics
15th July, 2010
Map of the essay, ‘The works of art themselves?’ - By Raymond Williams:
Paragraph 1:
1. Presence of art in sociology of culture
2. Long way - studying - sociology of culture- cultural institutions, formations and means of production. Bound to –stop and ask-we are studying (However important- own terms) - sufficiently central- presumed subject. We have – sociology- Where is art
Paragraph 2:
1. The whole inquiry begins with the work of art themselves.
2. Reasonable question (above) – true – there is unreasonable apparent form of it – intended – whole inquiry. Certain sociological facts and conditions – hastily admitted. So, minor place is reserved for them – But – we understand – to begin the real work – we go to the work of art themselves.
Paragraph 3:
1. Categorizing art based on forms and terms rather than socio-cultural
2. Every day decision- things like this- possible. Often and should- stop reasoning- art – instead- look- listen- read. This – different- conceptual shift (invited – break off- social inquiry) – not – specific attention – but to- generalized category – presumed internal rules. Difference- a necessary empirical shift (reasoning) & a deceptive empiricism (attention- autonomous objects – justified & protected terms unargued immediacy). One thing – leave sociological analysis – read a poem, - leave socio cultural analysis – adopt – socio cultural category – object of analysis.
Paragraph 4:
1. Distinguishing art from other human activities
2. The work of art themselves – category - not – neutral objective description. Socio cultural category – highest importance. Only because of it – cannot be – empirically presumed. Consider diverse practices – makes sense of – identical. Radically different – practices – directed – human senses (E. g. - hearing alone – sight alone) – single general category. Would be complex – at this level – music dance painting etc – properties in common – distinguish as a group – other human practices.
Paragraph 5:
1. Art that admit itself as art considering its form.
2. Another level- question – case of dance – as an example – those admit as a form of art – ballet – does not suggest itself- ballroom dancing. Normally set – pleasurable – social activity – such different form?
Paragraph 6:
1. Dealing with Art in terms of complexity, development, participation, exhibition and performance.
2. Early distinction – performed for audience – ballroom dancing – join in. what about – exhibition or competition – ballroom dancing? – next distinction – ballet – higher, more developed form – Then folk dance? – not – less developed – formally – yet folk dance –exhibition and performance.
Paragraph 7:
1. Art as conscious performance and/or exhibition or self satisfactory?
2. Earlier distinction – art – depends on – conscious performance? - cave painting? – seen as art. Sited – dark, inaccessible place. We do not know – period, culture – they were made. A case – painter or painters of Altamira (undiscovered) – cannot deny – its Art status – considering – not been consciously exhibited.
Paragraph 8:
1. ‘Art’ based on the quality of manual skills?
2. Status – matter of – supreme material execution – not serve – delimit art – distinguish – engineering work – rhetorically we speak of such work. As work of art – knife – car – pot – bridge. Art – applied – other purpose – to be work of art.
Paragraph 9:
1. Art possessing ‘aesthetic’ as distinction
2. Definition – autonomous distinction – common – modern – justification. Commands – vocabulary – aesthetic – designed for – proving it art. ‘Aesthetic’ new term – 18th c – generalization – art and creative art. Indicates – described previously. Interlock of terms – aesthetic intention, creative arts, aesthetic affect.
Paragraph 10:
1. Scientifically analyzing the terms indicating aesthetic.
2. Easy to categorize – ‘the aesthetic’ – bringing supporting and specifying terms. General term – beauty – specific term – harmony, proportion, form. A little doubt – on qualities. Scientific analysis – process and response – material and physical. Reality – what is being described?
Paragraph 11:
1. Problems at two levels; perception and response
2. Real problem – significance of perception; presumed specialization – response to – work of art.
Similar experience- human body, animals and bird shapes, etc. there is interaction – process and response – neutral perception. No definite way- defining category ‘art’.
Paragraph 12:
1. Beauty harmony and perception as the criteria in defining art.
2. Problem - marginal definition. Manmade – art running through – ornaments, dress, etc – used criteria – harmony and perception. – Here the definition is withheld. Art in – areas of human thought and discourse – values truth ideas observations. Perception – relevant. Most of us – truth and beauty.
Paragraph 13:
1. Art possessing the presumed values
2. 2nd major problem – conventional categorization – social interest. Further delimitation – value ob presumed value?
Paragraph 14:
1. Distinguishing works in various fields
2. Distinguish – in terms of quality – normal and inevitable. Such – clear and regular – delimit a category – specified as an art – ‘not art’, ‘not really art’. Example - Some novel – work of art – some – trash, pulp fiction, sub_ art, etc – others – routine, mediocre, library fodder. Apply these descriptions – willing to give reason. Terms harsher- tendency exists.
Paragraph 15:
1. Distinction of art in terms of seriousness/relation to reality
2. We can see – specific judgments – presumptions of classes in relation to the nature of practice (mixed criteria – criteria which are incompatible with the original delimitations.) Bad novel =category ‘novel’ ( at the level of generic definition). But, fails – certain things – seriousness and relation to reality.
Paragraph 16:
1. Moving to ‘the work of art themselves’ leaving ‘social categories’ aside.
2. Confusion – ‘art’, ‘sub art’ ‘non art’. Tend to shift – social categories (Commercial popular culture) - ‘the work of art themselves’. Refuse – rhetorically invoking – by – strictest intellectual articulation and thoughts.
Reference:
1. Williams, Raymond. “The work of art themselves” Art in modern culture: an anthology of critical text. EDS. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/Newyork: Phaidon, 1992. Print.
1024108
CIA-2
MEL 132
Western aesthetics
15th July, 2010
Map of the essay, ‘The works of art themselves?’ - By Raymond Williams:
Paragraph 1:
1. Presence of art in sociology of culture
2. Long way - studying - sociology of culture- cultural institutions, formations and means of production. Bound to –stop and ask-we are studying (However important- own terms) - sufficiently central- presumed subject. We have – sociology- Where is art
Paragraph 2:
1. The whole inquiry begins with the work of art themselves.
2. Reasonable question (above) – true – there is unreasonable apparent form of it – intended – whole inquiry. Certain sociological facts and conditions – hastily admitted. So, minor place is reserved for them – But – we understand – to begin the real work – we go to the work of art themselves.
Paragraph 3:
1. Categorizing art based on forms and terms rather than socio-cultural
2. Every day decision- things like this- possible. Often and should- stop reasoning- art – instead- look- listen- read. This – different- conceptual shift (invited – break off- social inquiry) – not – specific attention – but to- generalized category – presumed internal rules. Difference- a necessary empirical shift (reasoning) & a deceptive empiricism (attention- autonomous objects – justified & protected terms unargued immediacy). One thing – leave sociological analysis – read a poem, - leave socio cultural analysis – adopt – socio cultural category – object of analysis.
Paragraph 4:
1. Distinguishing art from other human activities
2. The work of art themselves – category - not – neutral objective description. Socio cultural category – highest importance. Only because of it – cannot be – empirically presumed. Consider diverse practices – makes sense of – identical. Radically different – practices – directed – human senses (E. g. - hearing alone – sight alone) – single general category. Would be complex – at this level – music dance painting etc – properties in common – distinguish as a group – other human practices.
Paragraph 5:
1. Art that admit itself as art considering its form.
2. Another level- question – case of dance – as an example – those admit as a form of art – ballet – does not suggest itself- ballroom dancing. Normally set – pleasurable – social activity – such different form?
Paragraph 6:
1. Dealing with Art in terms of complexity, development, participation, exhibition and performance.
2. Early distinction – performed for audience – ballroom dancing – join in. what about – exhibition or competition – ballroom dancing? – next distinction – ballet – higher, more developed form – Then folk dance? – not – less developed – formally – yet folk dance –exhibition and performance.
Paragraph 7:
1. Art as conscious performance and/or exhibition or self satisfactory?
2. Earlier distinction – art – depends on – conscious performance? - cave painting? – seen as art. Sited – dark, inaccessible place. We do not know – period, culture – they were made. A case – painter or painters of Altamira (undiscovered) – cannot deny – its Art status – considering – not been consciously exhibited.
Paragraph 8:
1. ‘Art’ based on the quality of manual skills?
2. Status – matter of – supreme material execution – not serve – delimit art – distinguish – engineering work – rhetorically we speak of such work. As work of art – knife – car – pot – bridge. Art – applied – other purpose – to be work of art.
Paragraph 9:
1. Art possessing ‘aesthetic’ as distinction
2. Definition – autonomous distinction – common – modern – justification. Commands – vocabulary – aesthetic – designed for – proving it art. ‘Aesthetic’ new term – 18th c – generalization – art and creative art. Indicates – described previously. Interlock of terms – aesthetic intention, creative arts, aesthetic affect.
Paragraph 10:
1. Scientifically analyzing the terms indicating aesthetic.
2. Easy to categorize – ‘the aesthetic’ – bringing supporting and specifying terms. General term – beauty – specific term – harmony, proportion, form. A little doubt – on qualities. Scientific analysis – process and response – material and physical. Reality – what is being described?
Paragraph 11:
1. Problems at two levels; perception and response
2. Real problem – significance of perception; presumed specialization – response to – work of art.
Similar experience- human body, animals and bird shapes, etc. there is interaction – process and response – neutral perception. No definite way- defining category ‘art’.
Paragraph 12:
1. Beauty harmony and perception as the criteria in defining art.
2. Problem - marginal definition. Manmade – art running through – ornaments, dress, etc – used criteria – harmony and perception. – Here the definition is withheld. Art in – areas of human thought and discourse – values truth ideas observations. Perception – relevant. Most of us – truth and beauty.
Paragraph 13:
1. Art possessing the presumed values
2. 2nd major problem – conventional categorization – social interest. Further delimitation – value ob presumed value?
Paragraph 14:
1. Distinguishing works in various fields
2. Distinguish – in terms of quality – normal and inevitable. Such – clear and regular – delimit a category – specified as an art – ‘not art’, ‘not really art’. Example - Some novel – work of art – some – trash, pulp fiction, sub_ art, etc – others – routine, mediocre, library fodder. Apply these descriptions – willing to give reason. Terms harsher- tendency exists.
Paragraph 15:
1. Distinction of art in terms of seriousness/relation to reality
2. We can see – specific judgments – presumptions of classes in relation to the nature of practice (mixed criteria – criteria which are incompatible with the original delimitations.) Bad novel =category ‘novel’ ( at the level of generic definition). But, fails – certain things – seriousness and relation to reality.
Paragraph 16:
1. Moving to ‘the work of art themselves’ leaving ‘social categories’ aside.
2. Confusion – ‘art’, ‘sub art’ ‘non art’. Tend to shift – social categories (Commercial popular culture) - ‘the work of art themselves’. Refuse – rhetorically invoking – by – strictest intellectual articulation and thoughts.
Reference:
1. Williams, Raymond. “The work of art themselves” Art in modern culture: an anthology of critical text. EDS. Francis Franscina, and Jonathan Harris. London/Newyork: Phaidon, 1992. Print.
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