Towards a Theory of Art

Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1916

True art, what is that? 

What is the difference in value between a sheet with nonsensical smear and abstract art? It is not necessarily all the same, but how do we decide the difference?

What defines the artwork? Or who?

A) The idea of the artistic genius.

            Is it the artistic genius? Through skills the artist expresses something which is beyond the mundane and material world. He/she may want to express a mood, a sentiment, even an argument into a discussion; he or she may play with colours and textures in such a way that we, the onlookers, recognize something of a deep and immediate connection, a communication faster than the rational mind can wrap its language based concepts around it.

            The question is whether it is the genius of the artist which brings this about, or is it a co-creation by the individual who finds, discovers, the connection. Do we see art as a form of communication? If so, do we speak the same ‘language’?

B) The limited genius

           Does the artist create a world because of him/herself or despite of him/herself? Is it a conscious work, or is the workman (artist) taken on a journey, and starts creating somewhat subconsciously, being partly an onlooker to the creative process?  Does the work express any meaning? And if so, is it intended by the artist? The discussion whether or not the value of the artwork is dependent on the will, ability, intention, of the artist, we also see reflected in literary theory. “Death of the author” might as well have been called “death of the artist”, and, as in literature, the interpretation is fully in the reader’s hand. A reader-response theory weakens the aspect of communication, for there is no search for meaning apart from what the individual seeks to find in it.

           As in language, the visual artists are limited in their respective media. There are always room for ambiguities, like in languages, so in non-verbal media there is even a larger sphere of possible interpretations.

           I am aware of the some of the philosophical discussion by Kant, Hegel, Heidegger and Gadamer about the power of aesthetics, about how to identify what is does. They take it seriously, as a means of finding truth of a more metaphysical reality than the material one. They are relating it to life and life experience in such a way that I feel it is important to renew the discussion about what true art is.

Bruce Gray: Eve of Destruction

            I will make a renewed claim for the need of the artwork to be and function in relations to the ethical sphere. In antiquities, there is a connection between the good, the true and the beautiful. Contemporary art is fragmented, and it has been given the status of being above ethical values, because the freedom of expression is considered a higher value. This is the downfall of art as a cultural building block. Contemporary art needs to be redeemed from its so-called truth-value, which incorporates the destructive elements of our reality. ‘Truth’ is then defined as material reality, and it reflects only a naturalistic philosophy.  It is limiting, one-dimensional, and opens to a very little degree for the metaphysical realm that our culture seeks in its foundation.

The quest for true art, valid art, and what sort of value we find in art, are all questions I need to come back to. I gain courage from the former well renowned scholars and thinkers that treat the question seriously, courage to pose questions to the present day status quo in art theory.

          I find courage to truly question the debased, pornographic, exploitive, ugly and destructive elements so prevailing in contemporary visual art. Focus on human faeces, excrements, on sadism or being obsessed and possessed by depressing spirits as part of the creative process, are all degrading. They may reflect a truth which is ugly, social truth, spiritual truth, but to expose it on a level of artistry and as such give it room in culture, is counter productive.

          Building blocks like respect, honour, beauty and joy - in the art – we will se more of in the coming years. Many with me are tired of the destructive and nihilistic aspects in art; and art has as such outplayed its role. There is time to capture this element of our culture. Truth defined by beauty and what is good, translates into truthfulness, trustworthiness, faithfulness and the like.