Writing/judging the visual: asethetics and criticism /lecture

7th March 2016 

Lecture: Writing/judging the visual: aesthetics and criticism
By: Dr Matthew Bowman


Being judgemental is possibly a bad thing, but judging as categorising something as bad or good is an inseparable element of our existence. Being judgemental is usually I guess relating to often wrong, rushed or uninformed decisions. While judging, we should perhaps have proper reasons based on knowledge not easily made predictions (who/what? right/wrong/good/bad?). It is important to make a point based on a reason and to find balance between information and analysis. It is crucial most of the time to actually look into backstory or to understand intentions of the author, the purpose.

Sometimes it is about the function too. As Nikolaus Pevsner suggests in ''An Outline of European Architecture'' (1943): ''A bicycle shed is a building, Lincoln Cathedral is a piece of architecture. Nearly everything that encloses space on a scale sufficient for a human being to move in is a building; the term architecture applies only to buildings designed with a view to aesthetic appeal.''

'Aesthetica' (1750)

Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten

aesthetics: (Greek aisthesis) originally aesthetics meant sensory experience (ability to see, feel, taste, hear, smell - experiential, perceptions; it remains present in the medical term 'anaesthetic', general meaning has changed into a very complicated view (book 'Aesthetica', published in 1750, where aesthetics' analysis described it as philosophical aesthetics, part of philosophy; however philosophy of art generally represents different understanding of art's significance, so those terms shouldn't be used interchangeably)
Aesthetics and philosophy of art are usually divided.

There is no absolute agreement about the aesthetics as shown today on example of two contrasting most influential philosophers in Europe: Kant and Hegel.


Immanuel Kant: (1724-1804) German philosopher, one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Western philosophy and central figure of modern philosophy. He examined the philosophy of aesthetics in his book 'The Critique of the Power of Judgement' (1790). It questioned beauty, the sublime, subjective judgement , and what it means to have a good taste. It is the final part of set of three critiques along with: 'The Critique of Pure Reason' (1781) about how knowledge is possible and 'The Critique of Practical Reason' (1788) about morality.  


Disinterested judgements focus on the form of artefacts, not on their meaning context, usefulness, politics, morals, or anything outside its form, for example saying that something is beautiful is a disinterested judgement (no objective rules or concepts, reflective judgements). Kant describe aesthetic judgements as disinterested and reflective.

'Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog' (1818)

Caspar David Friedrich

Caspar David Friedrich is one of the known artists who impressed Kant. He finds a sublime in his paintings, such as 'Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog' (1818) or 'The Monk by the Sea' (1808-10). He states that beauty is not subjective, but it is voice of community, not personal taste. Liking something doesn't mean that everyone else will feel the same about it. Calling something beautiful demands from others equal appreciation. Aesthetic judgement, as mentioned before, should be in his opinion disinterested. His theories would also apply to any design or visual style. Aesthetic judgements are not determinate judgements which are driven by rules and pre-established concepts.

''Concepts without intuitions are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind.''
(Immanuel Kant, 'Critique of Pure Reason, 1781)

By intuition Kant means sensory experience which relates to state about determinate judgements.



Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: (1770-1831) German philosopher, one of the greatest systematic thinkers in the history of Western philosophy in the 19th century (considered as one of the most difficult as well) who reacted to Kant's theories (book 'Phenomenology of Spirit, 1807 & Lectures on Aesthetics, 1820s-1830s)


He claimed that 'art has come to the end.' Job that art used to do is now done better by philosophy. He talks about materialisation of concepts in art as without concept/material form it cannot be communicated in any way. Kant stated that aesthetics involve too complex ideas to be closed enclosed in material form (his philosophy limits that to investigation of experience). It brings an argument if art is conceptual or not. Hegel also effectuated the periodization of art history  based on analysis of form and philosophical content. He found that the balance between them was only perfect during the Classical time in ancient Greece and Rome in sculpture where 'exterior realises interior.'



''I identify Modernism with the intensification, almost the exacerbation, of this self-critical tendency that began with the philosopher Kant. Because he was the first to criticise the mens itself of criticism, I conceive of Kant as, the first real Modernist...''
(Clement Greenberg, 'Modernist Painting,' 1960)


Conceptual and postmodernist art was often deliberately anti-aesthetic or made into an art parody (e.g. Jeff Koon's' works). In the last few years some got interest in rethinking the issue (e.g. Thierry de Duve, Jacques Ranciere, Stephen Melville).

Michael Jackson and Bubbles

porcelain sculpture (1988)

Jeff Koons

Denis Diderot: French writer who was one of the earliest critics. His essays judged and described the paintings shown at the Paris Salon exhibitions. These essays were mostly intended for audiences far from Paris, but also to define artistic standards.


A lot of artists are also art critics (visual practice + critical writing). Self-understanding of own art enables them to critically reflect upon other artists. ''Writing can be writing alongside art rather than merely about it.'' (Bowman, 2016)
Criticism, aesthetics and judgement are all related to writing. Matthew Bowman notices that criticism can also become a form of art. This fact unifies theory and practise. There are indeed numerous artworks which engage in other forms of art, often even unintentionally challenging them. One straightforward example I have in mind would be Leonardo Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' and Marcel Duchamp's 'L.H.O.O.Q.' Duchamp's 'Fountain' was also challenging when entering modern world of art. It was and it possibly is still quite controversial.

'Bicycle Wheel' (1913)

Readymades series

Marcel Duchamp

Art intervention is an interaction with a previously existing artwork, audience, venue/space or situation. It has the auspice of conceptual art and is commonly a form of performance art. It is associated with the Viennese Actionists, the Dada movement and Neo-Dadaists. It has also been made much use of by the Stuckists to affect perceptions of other artwork which they oppose, and as a protest against an existing intervention.
Art intervention can also refer to art which enters a situation outside the art world in an attempt to change the existing conditions there. For example, intervention art may attempt to change economic or political situations. Common interventions often lead to debate as to the distinction between art and vandalism.

"Banksy" is the operating name of one of the best-known interventionists in the UK. He has carried out many graffiti stencilling, usually with a specific message or comment. He has also infiltrated his own artwork into museums, where they have remained for varying amounts of time before being removed. In May 2005, for example, he hung his own version of a primitive cave painting, showing a human hunting with a shopping trolley, in the British Museum. His work is now a desirable art commodity.

(Wikipedia)

'There is Always Hope' /Girl With a Balloon (2002)

Banksy

South Bank, London

The words ‘There Is Always Hope’ are written just behind a young girl, who can be seen reaching for a balloon in the shape of a heart. Intense debate has raged on over the years regarding the true meaning of this stencil (love, innocence, hope).