The document discusses the author's first purchase of art - a painting of slain hip-hop artist Jam-Master Jay. The author struggled to find a place to hang it in his bare apartment, not realizing at first that art belonged in a home. The passage explores what art is - it uses things to make its presence felt but is not itself a thing, expressing an irreconcilable tension between what it is and what it wants to be. Contemporary art reflects life's pressures to make everything join together seamlessly, lacking inner tension, though true art expresses freedom.
This document contains summaries of artworks by several artists. It describes the styles and techniques used in the artworks, including acrylic, oil, pencil, and others. It provides background on the artists and discusses themes in their works like expression, exploration, and portraying internal thoughts and stimuli. Collections that contain the artists' works are also mentioned.
In this module, we consider the work of Viktor Shklovsky and John Dewey as two proponents of the aesthetic as an antidote to habitualized perception and experience.
The document discusses an artwork titled "Shadow House" by artist Zarina Hashmi. It is a series of geometrically shaped squares cut into Nepalese paper that evoke images of Islamic architecture and screens. The interplay of light and shade in the work effectively convey the ephemeral nature of a house. The artwork reflects Hashmi's life journey as an Indian artist who moved to New York over 40 years ago and her feelings of displacement from her homeland. It highlights her desire to claim an undivided world as her own and aim to retrieve traces of what she left behind through the process of remembering.
1) Art is performed by everyone in many forms and is essential to society. It allows people to express themselves and communicate with others.
2) Creating art allows people to focus their minds and better understand their experiences and surroundings. It tells stories and conveys emotions in a profound way.
3) Art has existed for thousands of years, dating back to early humans drawing pictures in caves. It has continued to evolve over time but remains a vital part of human culture and expression.
This document summarizes John Dewey's philosophy of art from his book Art as Experience. It discusses how Dewey rejects defining art as static objects separated from human experience. Instead, Dewey defines art as a dynamic process of interaction between a viewer and an object. The document outlines Dewey's view that art grows out of ordinary human experiences and aims to enrich experience. It also discusses how habituation and routine can diminish experience, and how art works to restore fullness of experience.
This document provides an overview of New Zealand painter Shane Cotton including key features of his work and influences. Cotton explores both Maori and European imagery and concepts in his monochromatic, grid-based paintings. Symbols in his work represent issues related to colonization such as the containment of indigenous culture. Influences on Cotton's style include McCahon's grid structures and Fomison's somber color schemes.
The document discusses Van Gogh Alive, an immersive digital art exhibition that projects Van Gogh's paintings onto boards and boxes to create an engaging experience for viewers. The author believes art exhibitions should be as exciting as the art itself. Van Gogh's use of bold color was influenced by color theory and helped establish his distinctive style. For her own project, the author considers incorporating elements like varying light levels, 3D maps, and virtual reality to create an immersive presentation.
This document provides an overview of different art forms categorized as visual arts, auditory arts, and performing arts. It discusses various visual art mediums like painting, drawing, engraving, and sculpture. It also covers auditory art forms including music, both vocal and instrumental, and literature with mentions of poetry, prose, and elements of each. The performing arts discussed are drama and theater, with descriptions of elements in a play like plot, character, language, and costume/set design.
This document contains summaries of artworks by several artists. It describes the styles and techniques used in the artworks, including acrylic, oil, pencil, and others. It provides background on the artists and discusses themes in their works like expression, exploration, and portraying internal thoughts and stimuli. Collections that contain the artists' works are also mentioned.
In this module, we consider the work of Viktor Shklovsky and John Dewey as two proponents of the aesthetic as an antidote to habitualized perception and experience.
The document discusses an artwork titled "Shadow House" by artist Zarina Hashmi. It is a series of geometrically shaped squares cut into Nepalese paper that evoke images of Islamic architecture and screens. The interplay of light and shade in the work effectively convey the ephemeral nature of a house. The artwork reflects Hashmi's life journey as an Indian artist who moved to New York over 40 years ago and her feelings of displacement from her homeland. It highlights her desire to claim an undivided world as her own and aim to retrieve traces of what she left behind through the process of remembering.
1) Art is performed by everyone in many forms and is essential to society. It allows people to express themselves and communicate with others.
2) Creating art allows people to focus their minds and better understand their experiences and surroundings. It tells stories and conveys emotions in a profound way.
3) Art has existed for thousands of years, dating back to early humans drawing pictures in caves. It has continued to evolve over time but remains a vital part of human culture and expression.
This document summarizes John Dewey's philosophy of art from his book Art as Experience. It discusses how Dewey rejects defining art as static objects separated from human experience. Instead, Dewey defines art as a dynamic process of interaction between a viewer and an object. The document outlines Dewey's view that art grows out of ordinary human experiences and aims to enrich experience. It also discusses how habituation and routine can diminish experience, and how art works to restore fullness of experience.
This document provides an overview of New Zealand painter Shane Cotton including key features of his work and influences. Cotton explores both Maori and European imagery and concepts in his monochromatic, grid-based paintings. Symbols in his work represent issues related to colonization such as the containment of indigenous culture. Influences on Cotton's style include McCahon's grid structures and Fomison's somber color schemes.
The document discusses Van Gogh Alive, an immersive digital art exhibition that projects Van Gogh's paintings onto boards and boxes to create an engaging experience for viewers. The author believes art exhibitions should be as exciting as the art itself. Van Gogh's use of bold color was influenced by color theory and helped establish his distinctive style. For her own project, the author considers incorporating elements like varying light levels, 3D maps, and virtual reality to create an immersive presentation.
This document provides an overview of different art forms categorized as visual arts, auditory arts, and performing arts. It discusses various visual art mediums like painting, drawing, engraving, and sculpture. It also covers auditory art forms including music, both vocal and instrumental, and literature with mentions of poetry, prose, and elements of each. The performing arts discussed are drama and theater, with descriptions of elements in a play like plot, character, language, and costume/set design.
The document provides an overview of the scope of the humanities, including visual arts, literature, music, drama and theater, and dance. It discusses various forms within each category such as graphic arts, painting, sculpture, poetry, instrumental music, comedy, ballet, and folk dancing. The visual arts are divided into graphic arts which use a two-dimensional surface and plastic arts which are three-dimensional. Literature encompasses forms such as drama, essays, fiction, and poetry. Music can be vocal, instrumental, or combined with other arts like opera.
A platform for creative growth and expression. Through this artists, designers and enthusiasts are able to indulge in creative desires and sustain themselves while using it to create value for others.
create + value = creative
This is done in the form of workshops, exhibitions and other creative events, as well as commercial art and design projects (preferably socially responsible, aware OR experimental, artistic, innovative or inventive). Artists and designers meet other creative people, co-create and work on projects of their interest. The public has access to creative facilities and can learn and engage in creative, meaningful forms of recreation. Our approach considers the valuable impact each project can have on a larger audience + those involved
1) Laszlo Feszt's artwork originates from the subconscious and depicts spiritual forms that were uncovered through an excavation process of the depths of human consciousness.
2) His graphics document the development of his own psyche and freeze time in a way that patiently preserves the damages and traces of his excavation process.
3) Feszt is influenced by archeology and ancient cultures like Egypt, Sumer, and tribal arts, and aims to reveal forms from this world through his creative process of unearthing and arranging elements into a harmonious whole.
This document discusses different forms of art including visual arts, film, performance art, poetry performance, architecture, dance, literary art, theater, and applied arts. It provides descriptions of each art form, noting that visual arts appeal to sight and include mediums like painting and sculpture. Film is described as using sequences of still images to create the illusion of movement. Performance art uses the human body as a medium. Architecture creates beautiful buildings through structure, lines, and forms. Dance follows rhythmic music through movement. Literary art uses words to express emotions. Theater presents imaginary events with live performers. Applied arts increase the aesthetic value of everyday items.
The document discusses how artists can expand their practice beyond the studio and get involved in public art projects. It provides advice for artists who are interested in public art but may be intimidated or unsure how to get started. Some key points made include:
- Public art comes in many forms beyond just sculpture, including murals, flooring, signs and more. Opportunities are available through art councils and commissions.
- Artists should submit applications even if they're new to public art, as committees are looking to expand their pool of applicants. Getting involved in hypothetical projects can help build experience.
- Photographer Peter de Lory expanded his practice from framed photos to public mosaic works. He advises treating
This document provides an overview of an art appreciation course taught by Prof. Mukund at SIT Tumkur, India. It discusses definitions of art, including art as creative work done by a person, the creation of beautiful or significant things, and a superior skill that can be learned. It also discusses perception of art and how it varies between individuals. Elements of art like line, color, shape, and principles of design like balance and movement are explained. The document discusses issues in art communication including elements of art, principles of design, creative expression, aesthetic valuing, visual literacy, and artistic perception. Finally, it provides definitions and brief descriptions of different fields within the humanities, including classics, history, languages,
The document defines and discusses the humanities which refers to arts such as visual arts, music, dance, drama, and literature. It discusses the five main areas of art - visual arts, music, dance, drama, and literature. For each area, it provides details on what they are, their purpose and various forms. It also discusses what arts have in common, the work of creative artists including the process of creation. Finally, it summarizes the scope of humanities covering visual arts, literature and their various forms.
This document provides guidance for students on developing a commonplace book over the summer as part of a Drawing Methodologies course. Students are instructed to create their own traditional book format commonplace book to bring together thoughts, ideas, drawings, and objects of interest in an analytical, diary-style format. The goal is for students to develop their unique aesthetic perspective and voice as an illustrator. Students are provided questions to ask themselves to aid discovery and analysis of what they observe. Upon returning, instructors expect to see students' commonplace books demonstrating a professional, meticulous categorization of their work, research, and observations.
The document discusses different art forms and their functions:
- Music can express emotions, influence healing, reduce labor monotony, and show cultural traditions. It is functional.
- Sculpture is used to commemorate important people through statues and reliefs, as well as for instructional purposes. It is more functional than painting and literature.
- Interior design involves creating effective spaces for human activities by considering plans, styles, colors, lighting, floors, and room arrangement.
Matthew Hoffman is an architect and artist. He completed a Bachelor of Architecture degree at Penn State University. His work experience includes projects at various architecture firms in New York and Pennsylvania. Hoffman is currently working at C-LAB in New York on projects ranging from pavilions to housing developments. He has published articles in several journals and publications. Hoffman proposes a project called "ART MEADOW" which would create a massive urban playground in Central Park dedicated to the continuous creation of art. It aims to remove barriers between artistic creation and appreciation through collective involvement and an environment encouraging constant modification.
This document discusses art appreciation and provides an overview of different types of art. It defines art as an expression of one's thoughts and emotions. The arts are generally grouped into major arts, like painting, sculpture, literature and music, and minor arts, which include decorative and applied arts. The document also categorizes the arts into visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, and popular arts. Finally, it discusses the values of art and some basic assumptions about art, including that art has been created by all people throughout history and is something to experience through sight or sound.
The document discusses the definitions and meanings of art from various perspectives. It begins by exploring the etymological roots of the word "art" in Latin and Greek. It then examines the nature of art, noting that art is made by humans to capture and preserve their interpretation of the world. The document outlines several prominent thinkers' definitions of art, including Leo Tolstoy's view of art as a means of communication between people, Beneditto Croce's perspective of art as a vision created by the artist, and John Dewey's definition of art as a refined experience. Overall, the summary discusses the philosophical underpinnings of what art is and how different individuals have conceptualized its role and purpose.
ARE 494 Digital Ethnography MichaelmichaelmotorcycleMichael Gipson
This document discusses digital ethnography and its application in virtual worlds. Digital ethnography involves immersing oneself in an unknown virtual culture for research purposes. It has three main stages: data collection, content analysis, and comparative analysis. The document then provides definitions and explanations of these stages. It also describes the author's experience entering the virtual world of Second Life for the first time and his process of acclimating to the new culture and conducting fieldwork, such as interviewing residents, to understand artistic practices in the virtual world.
This document provides information about the exhibition "Take Nine: Artes Mixtes de Nuevo England" being held from March 12 to April 12, 2007 at the Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center in San Jose, Costa Rica. It includes statements from the curator Jane Goldman and each of the nine featured artists - Judy Haberl, Judith Larsen, Peter Laytin, David Prifti, Lois Russell, Jill Slosberg-Ackerman, Josh Simpson, and Elizabeth Tuttle. Goldman describes how the works were selected to relate to her childhood experiences and impressions of Costa Rica. The artists' statements describe their creative processes and the themes and materials in their works.
Artists have an innate ability to absorb and express their surroundings without fully understanding where things are headed, and they must understand and value this ability. Artists do not need to believe in inspiration but should use the energies and suggestions from different situations and experiences, even in unthinkable moments. Looking around and observing everything in the environment, like a garden which mirrors society and nature, provides a mythical space where artists and architects can collaborate freely using fantasy. Artistic invention is necessary for urban spaces which requires integrated work between sculptors and architects in a way that is interesting, stimulating, complex and challenging for both, and sculpture that transforms its location acts as a valuable record of its time by creating context to serve as a historical marker helping us
Art can be directly functional, like tools and architecture, or indirectly functional through aesthetic appreciation. Directly functional art meets basic human needs for shelter, clothing, and transportation, while indirectly functional art provides enjoyment and cultural understanding through mediums like paintings, music, and performances. Art serves four main functions - aesthetic, utilitarian, social, and cultural. It allows humans to appreciate beauty, provides comfort and entertainment, fosters social connections, and shares cultural traditions between generations. Both direct and indirect art are important to improving life.
This document discusses the various functions of art, including personal, social, physical, and motivational vs. non-motivational functions. It provides examples to illustrate each category, such as how sculpture and painting can serve social functions like commemorating important historical events or figures. Architecture is used as an example of form following function, with a building's design being determined by its intended use and users. Community planning is also discussed as organizing residential, industrial, commercial, and civic areas to meet communities' physical and aesthetic needs.
This document contains short biographies from several artists included in an exhibition at the Alliance Française de Karachi from December 4th to 24th, 2014. The biographies describe each artist's background and influences, and explain the concepts and techniques used in their works. The artists cover a range of mediums including painting, video, sculpture, and mixed media. Their works draw inspiration from sources such as Sufi philosophy, mythology, literature, and observations of society.
Importance of Creative, Visual Arts.
Art as a medium of Communication and Social Expression.
Human Habitat as an artistic expression.
Classification of various Art forms as per global location and time frame.
Importance of Creativity and Interdisciplinary Symbiotic relation with other disciplines of Art forms.
Art as a Communicative system/Theory of Communication.
The fundamentals of Art / Principles of Art and its relation with City Planning.
Various Ism's and their relation with evolution of Culture and Art.
Ragnar Kjartansson will exhibit a piece titled "The End" at the 2009 Venice Biennale. It will feature a tableau vivant of the artist relentlessly painting a portrait of a young man posing in a bathing suit, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer over the entire six-month duration of the Biennale. The painting sessions will take place in the Icelandic Pavilion, transforming it into a makeshift studio. Kjartansson will limit his artistic production during this time to painting this recurring scene, with previous days' paintings accumulating around the studio.
The document provides an overview of art history from prehistoric to ancient times. It describes some of the earliest art created by homo sapiens in the Paleolithic era between 30,000-20,000 BCE. Examples of cave paintings from this time period are mentioned. The document then outlines the rise of ancient civilizations like those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Aegean, Greece, Rome, China, Japan, and India, noting some iconic artworks created in each culture.
The document provides an overview of the scope of the humanities, including visual arts, literature, music, drama and theater, and dance. It discusses various forms within each category such as graphic arts, painting, sculpture, poetry, instrumental music, comedy, ballet, and folk dancing. The visual arts are divided into graphic arts which use a two-dimensional surface and plastic arts which are three-dimensional. Literature encompasses forms such as drama, essays, fiction, and poetry. Music can be vocal, instrumental, or combined with other arts like opera.
A platform for creative growth and expression. Through this artists, designers and enthusiasts are able to indulge in creative desires and sustain themselves while using it to create value for others.
create + value = creative
This is done in the form of workshops, exhibitions and other creative events, as well as commercial art and design projects (preferably socially responsible, aware OR experimental, artistic, innovative or inventive). Artists and designers meet other creative people, co-create and work on projects of their interest. The public has access to creative facilities and can learn and engage in creative, meaningful forms of recreation. Our approach considers the valuable impact each project can have on a larger audience + those involved
1) Laszlo Feszt's artwork originates from the subconscious and depicts spiritual forms that were uncovered through an excavation process of the depths of human consciousness.
2) His graphics document the development of his own psyche and freeze time in a way that patiently preserves the damages and traces of his excavation process.
3) Feszt is influenced by archeology and ancient cultures like Egypt, Sumer, and tribal arts, and aims to reveal forms from this world through his creative process of unearthing and arranging elements into a harmonious whole.
This document discusses different forms of art including visual arts, film, performance art, poetry performance, architecture, dance, literary art, theater, and applied arts. It provides descriptions of each art form, noting that visual arts appeal to sight and include mediums like painting and sculpture. Film is described as using sequences of still images to create the illusion of movement. Performance art uses the human body as a medium. Architecture creates beautiful buildings through structure, lines, and forms. Dance follows rhythmic music through movement. Literary art uses words to express emotions. Theater presents imaginary events with live performers. Applied arts increase the aesthetic value of everyday items.
The document discusses how artists can expand their practice beyond the studio and get involved in public art projects. It provides advice for artists who are interested in public art but may be intimidated or unsure how to get started. Some key points made include:
- Public art comes in many forms beyond just sculpture, including murals, flooring, signs and more. Opportunities are available through art councils and commissions.
- Artists should submit applications even if they're new to public art, as committees are looking to expand their pool of applicants. Getting involved in hypothetical projects can help build experience.
- Photographer Peter de Lory expanded his practice from framed photos to public mosaic works. He advises treating
This document provides an overview of an art appreciation course taught by Prof. Mukund at SIT Tumkur, India. It discusses definitions of art, including art as creative work done by a person, the creation of beautiful or significant things, and a superior skill that can be learned. It also discusses perception of art and how it varies between individuals. Elements of art like line, color, shape, and principles of design like balance and movement are explained. The document discusses issues in art communication including elements of art, principles of design, creative expression, aesthetic valuing, visual literacy, and artistic perception. Finally, it provides definitions and brief descriptions of different fields within the humanities, including classics, history, languages,
The document defines and discusses the humanities which refers to arts such as visual arts, music, dance, drama, and literature. It discusses the five main areas of art - visual arts, music, dance, drama, and literature. For each area, it provides details on what they are, their purpose and various forms. It also discusses what arts have in common, the work of creative artists including the process of creation. Finally, it summarizes the scope of humanities covering visual arts, literature and their various forms.
This document provides guidance for students on developing a commonplace book over the summer as part of a Drawing Methodologies course. Students are instructed to create their own traditional book format commonplace book to bring together thoughts, ideas, drawings, and objects of interest in an analytical, diary-style format. The goal is for students to develop their unique aesthetic perspective and voice as an illustrator. Students are provided questions to ask themselves to aid discovery and analysis of what they observe. Upon returning, instructors expect to see students' commonplace books demonstrating a professional, meticulous categorization of their work, research, and observations.
The document discusses different art forms and their functions:
- Music can express emotions, influence healing, reduce labor monotony, and show cultural traditions. It is functional.
- Sculpture is used to commemorate important people through statues and reliefs, as well as for instructional purposes. It is more functional than painting and literature.
- Interior design involves creating effective spaces for human activities by considering plans, styles, colors, lighting, floors, and room arrangement.
Matthew Hoffman is an architect and artist. He completed a Bachelor of Architecture degree at Penn State University. His work experience includes projects at various architecture firms in New York and Pennsylvania. Hoffman is currently working at C-LAB in New York on projects ranging from pavilions to housing developments. He has published articles in several journals and publications. Hoffman proposes a project called "ART MEADOW" which would create a massive urban playground in Central Park dedicated to the continuous creation of art. It aims to remove barriers between artistic creation and appreciation through collective involvement and an environment encouraging constant modification.
This document discusses art appreciation and provides an overview of different types of art. It defines art as an expression of one's thoughts and emotions. The arts are generally grouped into major arts, like painting, sculpture, literature and music, and minor arts, which include decorative and applied arts. The document also categorizes the arts into visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, and popular arts. Finally, it discusses the values of art and some basic assumptions about art, including that art has been created by all people throughout history and is something to experience through sight or sound.
The document discusses the definitions and meanings of art from various perspectives. It begins by exploring the etymological roots of the word "art" in Latin and Greek. It then examines the nature of art, noting that art is made by humans to capture and preserve their interpretation of the world. The document outlines several prominent thinkers' definitions of art, including Leo Tolstoy's view of art as a means of communication between people, Beneditto Croce's perspective of art as a vision created by the artist, and John Dewey's definition of art as a refined experience. Overall, the summary discusses the philosophical underpinnings of what art is and how different individuals have conceptualized its role and purpose.
ARE 494 Digital Ethnography MichaelmichaelmotorcycleMichael Gipson
This document discusses digital ethnography and its application in virtual worlds. Digital ethnography involves immersing oneself in an unknown virtual culture for research purposes. It has three main stages: data collection, content analysis, and comparative analysis. The document then provides definitions and explanations of these stages. It also describes the author's experience entering the virtual world of Second Life for the first time and his process of acclimating to the new culture and conducting fieldwork, such as interviewing residents, to understand artistic practices in the virtual world.
This document provides information about the exhibition "Take Nine: Artes Mixtes de Nuevo England" being held from March 12 to April 12, 2007 at the Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center in San Jose, Costa Rica. It includes statements from the curator Jane Goldman and each of the nine featured artists - Judy Haberl, Judith Larsen, Peter Laytin, David Prifti, Lois Russell, Jill Slosberg-Ackerman, Josh Simpson, and Elizabeth Tuttle. Goldman describes how the works were selected to relate to her childhood experiences and impressions of Costa Rica. The artists' statements describe their creative processes and the themes and materials in their works.
Artists have an innate ability to absorb and express their surroundings without fully understanding where things are headed, and they must understand and value this ability. Artists do not need to believe in inspiration but should use the energies and suggestions from different situations and experiences, even in unthinkable moments. Looking around and observing everything in the environment, like a garden which mirrors society and nature, provides a mythical space where artists and architects can collaborate freely using fantasy. Artistic invention is necessary for urban spaces which requires integrated work between sculptors and architects in a way that is interesting, stimulating, complex and challenging for both, and sculpture that transforms its location acts as a valuable record of its time by creating context to serve as a historical marker helping us
Art can be directly functional, like tools and architecture, or indirectly functional through aesthetic appreciation. Directly functional art meets basic human needs for shelter, clothing, and transportation, while indirectly functional art provides enjoyment and cultural understanding through mediums like paintings, music, and performances. Art serves four main functions - aesthetic, utilitarian, social, and cultural. It allows humans to appreciate beauty, provides comfort and entertainment, fosters social connections, and shares cultural traditions between generations. Both direct and indirect art are important to improving life.
This document discusses the various functions of art, including personal, social, physical, and motivational vs. non-motivational functions. It provides examples to illustrate each category, such as how sculpture and painting can serve social functions like commemorating important historical events or figures. Architecture is used as an example of form following function, with a building's design being determined by its intended use and users. Community planning is also discussed as organizing residential, industrial, commercial, and civic areas to meet communities' physical and aesthetic needs.
This document contains short biographies from several artists included in an exhibition at the Alliance Française de Karachi from December 4th to 24th, 2014. The biographies describe each artist's background and influences, and explain the concepts and techniques used in their works. The artists cover a range of mediums including painting, video, sculpture, and mixed media. Their works draw inspiration from sources such as Sufi philosophy, mythology, literature, and observations of society.
Importance of Creative, Visual Arts.
Art as a medium of Communication and Social Expression.
Human Habitat as an artistic expression.
Classification of various Art forms as per global location and time frame.
Importance of Creativity and Interdisciplinary Symbiotic relation with other disciplines of Art forms.
Art as a Communicative system/Theory of Communication.
The fundamentals of Art / Principles of Art and its relation with City Planning.
Various Ism's and their relation with evolution of Culture and Art.
Ragnar Kjartansson will exhibit a piece titled "The End" at the 2009 Venice Biennale. It will feature a tableau vivant of the artist relentlessly painting a portrait of a young man posing in a bathing suit, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer over the entire six-month duration of the Biennale. The painting sessions will take place in the Icelandic Pavilion, transforming it into a makeshift studio. Kjartansson will limit his artistic production during this time to painting this recurring scene, with previous days' paintings accumulating around the studio.
The document provides an overview of art history from prehistoric to ancient times. It describes some of the earliest art created by homo sapiens in the Paleolithic era between 30,000-20,000 BCE. Examples of cave paintings from this time period are mentioned. The document then outlines the rise of ancient civilizations like those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Aegean, Greece, Rome, China, Japan, and India, noting some iconic artworks created in each culture.
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive function. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help protect against mental illness and improve symptoms.
This document provides resources and advice for artists pursuing their career. It suggests artists consider why they chose their path, where they want to be in the short and long-term, and how to describe their work. Websites are listed covering artist residencies, grants, jobs, current events, favorite creative spaces, resume guidelines, and registries. Artists are advised to create a package including business cards, postcards, a website, resume, representative images, an artist statement, and bio. The document concludes by encouraging artists to practice networking and asking for opportunities.
Fate2011 Panel on "Excavating Kindness, Caring, and Cooperation"Lori Kent
Panel presentation at the 2011 Foundations in Art Theory and Education national conference. Participants: Dr. Lori Kent, prof Jane Hesser, prof. Rick Salafia, and prof Laura Ruby
This document discusses the concept of games and gamification. It provides objectives to dig into the idea of games, play a game, think, and transfer the experience to work. It is divided into four parts: an introduction to games, a demo round of a game, connecting the experience to work, and prizes and reflection. The game involves picking cards that represent cultures or opinions and having a conversation. The document suggests that games can be used to practice skills for life and work by incorporating elements of empowerment, social influence, and unpredictability. It provides several references on topics related to games, gamification, and applying game concepts to marketing.
Art And Art
Descriptive Essay About Art
Art Analysis Essay
My Passion For Art Essay
Essay on Art in Society
Reflective Essay On Art Museum
The Emotional Perception of Art Essay
Persuasive Essay On The Art Of Art
Essay on The Many Forms of Art
Argumentative Essay About Art
Reflection On Veterans Art Exhibit
Descriptive Essay On Art
The Importance of Art Essay
The History of Art Essay
Reflection About Art
My Reflection Of Art
The Art Of Art And Art : Baasquiats Art
Essay on art
Essay On Why I Love Art
Essay On Art Appreciation
Viktor Shklovsky argues that habitual perception causes us to lose sight of objects and see them only as vague outlines. We recognize things based on their basic characteristics rather than truly seeing them (paragraphs I-III). This process reduces objects to symbols and shapes our thought in an "algebraic" way. John Dewey proposes reconnecting art with everyday experience. He argues that separating art from its origins and contexts erects a wall around it. Art should restore continuity between refined works and ordinary life to be fully understood. Understanding ancient art like the Parthenon requires imaginatively connecting with the people for whom it was originally created.
This document provides an overview and summary of key ideas from John Dewey's book Art as Experience. It discusses how Dewey proposes a new definition of art as an interactive process between a viewer and an object, rather than the object itself. It also summarizes Dewey's view that art grows out of ordinary experience, and that understanding art requires understanding the human experiences and contexts that gave rise to the work. The document analyzes Dewey's perspective that habitual and routine perception can diminish experiences, while art has the power to renew perception and make experiences felt more fully.
The document provides an overview of an art class that took students on field trips to various art galleries in New York City over the course of a semester. The class exposed students to different styles and mediums of art and encouraged critical discussion of the themes, messages, and techniques used by different artists. The semester concluded with a ceremony to celebrate the students' work and reflections on what they learned about art over the course.
Aesthetic imitation and imitators in aristotle, by katherine e. gilbertMariane Farias
This article discusses Aristotle's view of aesthetic imitation and imitators. It argues that for Aristotle, imitative art ranks highly and imitators share qualities with philosophers, musicians, and lovers. The article examines Aristotle's concept of art as productive force and his view that imitation in art involves the interaction of contrary principles rather than mere repetition. It concludes that Aristotle saw imitation in art as equivalent to creative production according to a true idea.
The document discusses many aspects of defining and understanding art, including:
- Art is subjective and definitions have changed over time and cultures. Intention and context are important.
- Meaning in art can be explicit or implicit and comes from interactions between form, content, context, media, and genre/style.
- Different artistic genres exist like portrait, landscape, abstraction. Representational art depicts reality while abstraction references it less directly.
- Artistic styles vary widely from classical to romantic to realism to surrealism to pop art. Media also impacts meaning from traditional to contemporary materials. Process is also significant in some works.
Art Definition Essay
Art Definition Essay
The Importance of Art Essay
Why Is Art A Genre? Essay
Art : The World Of Art
Essay On Art Appreciation
Reflective Essay On Art Class
Reflection About Art
Descriptive Essay On Art
My Reflection Of Art
Art And Art
Descriptive Essay About Art
Persuasive Essay On The Art Of Art
Art And Art : The Importance Of Art
Art Is An Imagination Of Art
Art Synthesis Essay
Reflective Essay On Art
Essay on Art in Society
My Reflection Of Art
What is Art? Essay
The Importance of Art Essay
What Is Art? Essay example
Essay on Art in Society
Art Is An Imagination Of Art
What Makes Art Art Essay
The History of Art Essay
Art And Art
Art Analysis Essay
Art : The World Of Art
Essay on The Meaning of a Work of Art
Reflection About Art
Why Is Art A Genre? Essay
Art and Aesthetics Essay
My Passion For Art Essay
What Are Fine Art? Essay
My Passion For Art Essay
Art And Art
Essay On Why I Love Art
Informative Speech Importance of Art Essay
Art Analysis Essay
African Art Essay
art assignment Essay examples
My Reflection Of Art
Example Art Gallery Report Essay
Reflective Essay On Art
Art as Communication Essay example
What Is Art? Essay example
The Importance of Art Essay
The Importance of Art Essay
My Personal Experience Through Art
Art Comparison
Art and Aesthetics Essay example
Art Is An Imagination Of Art
Reflection About Art
The passage discusses the history and role of art in society. It notes that art has existed since ancient times and has often reflected the state of society. Art allows people to express themselves and communicate ideas. It can depict various themes and genres and has the power to bring communities together. The passage also mentions how art was used in social movements like the Black Arts Movement to protest and advocate for civil rights. Overall, the passage emphasizes that art is a universal form of expression that has impacted societies throughout history in many positive ways.
This document discusses the concept of subject in art and provides examples of different types of subject matter that artists use. It begins by defining subject as any person, object, scene, or event depicted in a work of art. It distinguishes between representational art, which uses recognizable images, and non-representational art, which does not. Common subjects include landscapes, still lifes, portraits, figures, and everyday scenes. Subject is different from content, which refers to the overall meaning or message conveyed. The document also outlines various functions of art, including personal expression, social influence, and physical utility.
This document discusses different types of subjects in art, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and religious imagery. It also covers non-objective and abstract art, which do not depict real subjects. Various artistic styles are described such as realism, surrealism, symbolism, and impressionism. The key difference between an artist and artisan is that an artist creates works of art while an artisan makes functional handcrafted objects.
1) Art is performed by everyone in many different forms and enhances our lives and society. It provides mental and physical benefits, stress relief, and self-confidence.
2) Art has been an important part of human history dating back thousands of years, starting from early cave paintings and developing into different mediums over time. It has served as a form of communication and expression.
3) Art plays a large role in development and education, helping humans and society advance architecturally, technologically, and intellectually over time. Without art, the world would be less cultured, advanced, and meaningful.
The document provides guidance on describing and analyzing artworks. It outlines Edmund Feldman's 4-step technique for art criticism: description, analysis, interpretation, and judgment. Description involves objectively noting details like subject, colors, shapes without analysis. Analysis examines relationships within the description. Interpretation derives meaning based on description and analysis. Judgment evaluates the work based on the previous steps. The document emphasizes the importance of thorough description before analyzing, interpreting, or judging a work of art. It offers examples of descriptive techniques and perspectives to help effectively communicate an artwork in writing.
Similar to Paul Chan, What Art Is And Where It Belongs Journal E Flux (17)
This document provides an introduction to a presentation about Angiola Churchill and how Greenwich Village in the 1930s-1940s incubated her development as an artist. The document outlines the presentation's parts which will discuss Churchill's early life, the artistic context of Greenwich Village during that period, and how that influenced and directed Churchill's work. It includes historical photographs of Greenwich Village from that time period showing artistic hotspots like art galleries, restaurants, bars, and ateliers that were centers of creativity and influenced Churchill as she invented herself as an artist.
This document contains over 50 quotes about creativity, learning, innovation, and making. Many of the quotes emphasize the importance of curiosity, having an open mind, combining ideas in new ways, learning from mistakes, and pushing boundaries. The overall message conveyed is that making, learning, and creativity require stepping outside of established paths and seeing things with new eyes.
This document provides tips for making makers and developing mastery. It discusses providing materials to spark creativity and problem solving. Mastery involves comprehensive knowledge through practice over many hours. The tips emphasize thinking generatively, using experience as a rich source of ideas, developing wonder, and supporting individual and team mastery through deconstructing processes to teach skills. The overall message is that providing opportunities to make things can help people develop as makers and master skills through hands-on learning.
The Naked Truth About Digital Talent (and skills)Lori Kent
This document proposes a panel discussion at SXSW Interactive 2015 about the most essential digital skills needed in today's workforce and how to educate people on these skills, as digital knowledge remains elusive and new skills are needed urgently. The panel would be led by a technologist and educator to have an open discussion on ending the fear around digital skills and instead embracing learning.
This document proposes a panel discussion at SXSW 2015 about making and encouraging a maker mindset. It asks why making has become so popular, whether everyone is or should be a maker, and how making works in the 21st century workplace. The panel aims to have an honest conversation about fearless making and inspiring this approach.
This document provides a list of recommended readings for building a digital education program. It includes articles on learning through design thinking, the importance of play, reclaiming creative confidence, why failure can lead to success, hackathon culture, changing digital job titles in advertising agencies, whether code can be learned in one day, the widening talent gap in advertising, how all employees must now have technology skills, and why the advertising industry faces a talent rut.
This document provides the transcript of a lecture given by Dr. Lori Kent on the topic of where art comes from from an artist's perspective. It discusses various influences on art such as memory, imagination, experience, representation, passion, and re-presentation. It provides examples of artworks from different time periods and contexts, including the Holocaust and natural disasters, to illustrate how artists draw from collective and personal memories and experiences to create work that represents and comments on the world around them.
"Short Tales from the Foundations Studio" FATE/CAA 2013Lori Kent
The visual materials from 11 participants at the FATE session during the 2013 College Art Association Conference. The "lesson plans" are in a separate PDF download at this site. Please contact instructors directly with questions or comments. Thank you.
This document provides an introduction to a 12-part drawing instruction series by artist James McMullan in The New York Times. The series will cover basic drawing elements like line, perspective, proportion and structure. It will use examples from art history and encourage readers to practice with a pencil. McMullan's goal is to help readers strengthen their ability to observe accurately and translate their observations into drawings.
The document discusses the evolving definitions of art throughout history. It explores how art has been defined based on imitation, representation, originality, symbolism, and cultural and economic value. The definition of art has changed over time from a focus on skilled imitation to idea-based works, and determining what makes something a work of art has proven difficult.
The document provides a series of drawing exercises for artists to practice different drawing techniques including: drawing a circle in one motion without picking up your pencil, drawing "happy" and "introverted" lines, drawing yourself as a superhero inspired by a child's drawing, drawing your daily commute to Hunter College through pictures only, drawing the person you most admire, and drawing yourself using only vegetable parts inspired by Arcimboldo's work. The exercises are intended to help artists develop skills in areas like form, light/dark, texture, and line.
The document discusses the 1932 German film Kuhle Wampe directed by Slatan Dudow. Some key points:
- It was the first sound film produced by the political left in Germany and had a low budget.
- It took over a year to produce due to censorship issues and financial troubles with multiple production companies involved.
- Many of the filmmakers and actors involved were accomplished in leftist theater and agitprop groups in Germany at the time.
A [Brief] History of [Digital] Future (revised)Lori Kent
Presentation for Goodby, Silverstein & Partners on the topics of "universals, originality/progress, and uncertainty." Examples from the visual arts are used.
A film student has recreated iconic movie scenes using Lego pieces, including scenes from American Beauty, Inception, and other films. Recreating each scene can take 10 minutes to an hour depending on its size and detail level. The student owns 30,000 Lego pieces and posts photos of his creations online.
This document provides instructions and examples for the art of linoleum printing. It discusses key aspects of the technique such as contrasting light and dark areas, using simple lines and organic shapes that vary in thickness, and mixing colors on a palette rather than using straight colors from the tube. The final sentences discuss signing prints by including the title, edition number or artist proof designation, and signature.
This document discusses technology integration in education, including both positive and negative perspectives. On the negative side, it addresses concerns that the internet and constant connectivity may be harming students' attention spans and critical thinking. However, it also notes potential benefits, like the ability of devices like laptops to provide equitable access to information and close gaps between low-income and wealthier students. It provides examples of digital tools and resources that could be used to enhance education, and emphasizes skills like collaboration, networking, and participatory culture that are important for students to develop in the modern world.
The document appears to be a collection of notes and links related to art history and architecture from various periods including the Gothic period, Renaissance, Islamic art, and pre-Columbian civilizations. It includes brief descriptions and information about structures like Chartres Cathedral and Florence Cathedral as well as artists like Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci. The notes touch on topics such as the goals of Christian art, the development of cathedrals, and the rise of Renaissance humanism.
Paul Chan, What Art Is And Where It Belongs Journal E Flux
1. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
41 Essex street
New York, NY 10002, USA
Paul Chan
What Art Is and Where it Belongs
The first piece of art I ever bought was a small painting of a dead DJ. Walking down the street in New York
one day, I came across a man selling small- and medium-sized portraits of slain hip-hop artists, casually
displayed on the sidewalk. They were painted in bright, simple colors. The one that caught my eye was Tribute
to Jam-Master Jay, which I assumed to be the title because it was written in thick gold paint on the lower left
corner of the painting. Months before, Jay, the DJ for the pioneering rap crew RUN-DMC, was tragically shot
and killed inside a recording studio in Queens. In the work he once again stood proudly, wearing the iconic
black T-shirt, fedora hat, and, around his neck, the standard-issue gold chain, thick as a boa constrictor. I
bought the painting for thirty dollars.
It took me months to figure out where to hang it in my bare apartment. There was plenty of wall space:
nothing was up. But no place felt right. One wall was too bumpy and another wall was too water-damaged.
The kitchen area looked too cramped and the space next to the worktable was too dark. Jam-Master Jay had
nowhere to go. I had no clue as to where the painting could fit in my apartment. Only much later did I realize
why. It had never occurred to me that art belonged in a home.
1 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
2. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
▴ R. King, Tribute to Jam-Master Jay (in situ), 2003. Acrylic on canvas.
Things belong in a home. Tables and radios and stuff you find outside. But art? I have more work up now. And
the truth is that art exists in countless homes large and small. Art is not diminished by its place in a home. On
the contrary, some art glows anew in the presence of other things, like a strange light bulb that draws invisible
energy from the inert matter around it, to radiate from within its essential shape. Not all art does this. But the
works that do not are no worse for it. They stand, or lean, or hang with little fanfare, next to the coat rack, or
the bookcase, or over the couch, waiting to be noticed. The constellation of things in a home—including
artworks—creates a network of uses and meanings that connects us to a place and grounds us in a sensible
reality. Things are things because they help us belong in the world, even though their place in our lives can
sometimes dispossess us of the sense of being at home with ourselves.
Art is made of things: paints, paper, video projectors, steel, and so on. The things used in making art ground it
in a material reality, without which art would simply be an unrealized wish. Even works that claim to be
dematerialized need material support to realize themselves. Performance, for instance, may not see itself as
composed of things. But the focus of the work needs a material frame to condense all the elements into an
event. The space, the performers, and the props (if any) all work to make performance appear as experience.
Art uses things to make its presence felt. But art is not itself a thing.
If art is, in truth, art, it feels as if it is too concrete to be mere appearance, but not concrete enough to exist
as mere reality. In other words, art is more and less than a thing. And it is this simultaneous expression of
more-ness and less-ness that makes what is made art.
▴ Stuart Sherman, Still from The Twelfth Spectacle (Language). Performance recorded on video in 1980.
How is art less than a thing? A thing, like a table, helps us belong in the world by taking on the essential
properties of what we want in a table. It does not matter whether it is made of wood or steel, or whether it
2 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
3. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
has one leg or four. As long as it is endowed with purpose, so that a table inhabits its “table-ness” wholly, to
not only give us a surface on which to eat, or write, or have sex, but also to substantiate that purpose as the
external embodiment of our will. In a sense, a thing is not itself until it contains what we want. Once it
becomes whole, a thing helps us differentiate it from all that it is not. A chair may act like a table, enabling us
in a pinch to do all the things a table can. But it is only acting. A thing’s use is external to its nature. And what
is essential to a table’s nature is that all the parts that make up a table become wholly a table, and not a chair,
or a rose, or a book, or anything else.
In art, the parts do not make a whole, and this is how a work of art is less than a thing. Like the perfect crime
or a bad dream, it is not apparent at all how the elements come together. Yet they nevertheless do, through
composition, sometimes by chance, so that it appears as if it were a thing. But we know better, since it never
feels solid or purposeful enough to bear the weight of a real thing. This is not to say that art does not really
exist or that it is just an illusion. Art can be touched and held (although people usually prefer you not to). It
can be turned on or off. It can be broken. It can be bought and sold. It can feel like any other thing. Yet in
experiencing art, it always feels like there is a grave misunderstanding at the heart of what it is, as if it were
made with the wrong use in mind, or the wrong tools, or simply the wrong set of assumptions about what it
means to exist fully in the world.
This is how art becomes art. For what it expresses most, beyond the
intention of the maker, the essence of an idea, an experience, or an
existence, is the irreconcilability of what it is and what it wants to be. Art is
the expression of an embodiment that never fully expresses itself. It is not
for lack of trying. Art, like things, must exist in a material reality to be fully
realized. But unlike things, art shapes matter—which gives substance to
material reality—without ever dominating it. All matter absorbs the manifold
forces that have influenced how it came to be, and the uses and values it
has accrued—and emanates the presence of this history and its many
meanings from within. In a sense, form is just another word for the
sedimented content that smolders in all matter. Art is made with sensitivity
to and awareness of this content. And the more the making becomes
attenuated, the more art binds itself to the way this content already
▴ Petra Cortright, Sunrise 2009, 2009. Animated determines the reality of how matter exists in the world. This reality, or
GIF. nature, is the ground art stands on to actualize its own reality: a second
nature. But it is never real enough, since the first nature will never wholly
coincide with the second.
What art ends up expressing is the irreconcilable tension that results from making something, while
intentionally allowing the materials and things that make up that something to change the making in mind.
This dialectical process compels art to a greater and greater degree of specificity, until it becomes something
radically singular, something neither wholly of the mind that made it, nor fully the matter from which it was
made. It is here that art incompletes itself, and appears.
The irony is that because it cannot express what it truly wants to be, art becomes something greater and
more profound. Its full measure reaches beyond its own composition, touching but never embracing the family
of things that art ought to belong to, but does not, because it refuses (or is unable) to become a thing-
in-itself. Instead, art takes on a ghostly presence that hovers between appearance and reality. This is what
makes art more than a thing. By formalizing the ways in which objective conditions and subject demands
inform and change each other over the course of its own making, a work of art expresses both process and
instant at once, and illuminates their interdependence precisely in their irreconcilability. And it is as a
consequence of this inner development that art becomes what it truly is: a tense and dynamic representation
of what it takes to determine the course of one’s own realization and shape the material reality from which
3 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
4. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
this self-realization emerges. In other words, whatever the content in whatever the form, art is only ever
interested in appearing as one thing: freedom.
▴ Albert Oehlen, Untitled, 2007. Ink and oil on canvas.
The death of art has been declared since at least 1826, when Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel wrote that art
would wither away because its role in expressing the universal spirit will be superseded by religion, and then
by philosophy. In the late 1960s, Theodor W. Adorno began his book Aesthetic Theory with the following: “It is
self-evident that nothing concerning art is self-evident anymore, not its inner life, not its relation to the world,
1
not even its right to exist.” Philosophers (and philistines) are not the only ones to question art’s reason for
being. Artists themselves have attacked it for at least the last hundred years. In the twentieth century, the
true vanguard of art was neither a work nor a movement, but the death wish for art itself.
Today, it is self-evident that art is not dead. In fact, artistic production has
spread into all corners of life. But even though the pronouncements of the
end of art turned out not to be true, there is truth in the feeling that
something in art has died. Or, at the least, in the sense that the
proliferation of art has no bearing on what kind of power or potential it
actually holds.
Artists have always taken on the responsibility of reflecting on and
manifesting the many facets of life. It is no different today. What is new is
the speed and breadth at which life lives now. Increasingly, contemporary
4 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
5. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
life has been dominated by the progress of a socioeconomic globalization
that has woven an unprecedented and ever-expanding network of
production and exchange between people, territories, and cultures. And
what has emerged is a social and sensible reality that values above all else
the power of interdependency, as both an ethical substance and a material
goal. Contemporary art gives expression to how we welcome, ignore, resist,
or try to change the forces that push this reality into and over our lives. The
best works do this all at once. This is what art of the moment always tries
to do: capture a flash of friction in time and make it burn as bright as the
night is long.
But the more an artwork responds to the exigencies of the moment, the
more it gets entangled in a process of development that directs it away
from its singular way of becoming. The demand to make sense of the
contradictions that breed conflicts and mire social progress at every turn
should be met: life ought to be more livable for the living. To its credit, the
▴ Lustina Noh Von, Oh Hegel, 2009. oil on canvas.
field of contemporary art today has sought to connect diverse bodies of
knowledge with aesthetic concepts to conjure a kind of critical thinking in
sensuous form. Art of this kind imagines itself primarily as an instrument, to
be experienced as something that sharpens reflection and encourages resistance. On the other hand,
contemporary art has advanced another kind of engagement, one that mirrors the expanded means of social,
cultural, and economic production that has made life the unimaginable entanglement it is today. By using the
same technologies and organizing principles employed by industries to increase production, marketing, and
exchange, art attempts to give this industriousness a novel face. Here, art functions as the embodiment of an
inhuman social process becoming conscious of its own legitimacy as the expression of human progress.
Whether as critique or reflection (or both at once), art in contemporary
times has sought out a new relationship with the life it once wanted to
transform from within the boundaries of its own making. In the past, the
imperative to re-imagine the whole of life through art compelled it toward a
rich and productive unreasonableness. No matter what forms it took
on—whether it was an ever-purer expression of formal spiritualization
through excessive austerity or an ever-greater earthly immanence through
perverse juxtapositions—art situated itself as the social antithesis of society,
not directly deducible from it and not evidently useful in it. The freedom art
potentiated in the development of its own realization gave substance to the
idea, especially hard to see in dark times, that we too could create the
▴ Alexander Kluge, News from Ideological inner resources necessary to organize ourselves against the general drift of
Antiquity: Marx–Eisenstein–Das Kapital, 2009.
Film still, 570 minute video on three DVDs.
the world, in order to redirect it.
It was in reality a ridiculous idea. But in art, the only ideas worth realizing
are the truly untenable ones. This is what is most dispiriting about contemporary art: it no longer represents
the shape of untenability. By suppressing social and economic differences and dissolving the space that once
separated things, globalization has made everything uniformly near and equally reasonable. Art, by allying
itself with contemporary life, has found its purpose as a cunning system of mediation, capable of pulling into
its comportment anything that exists in our social and material reality. Art exerts its power by rationalizing the
elements into a vivid relationship, and emanates beauty and strength through its semblance of a synthesized
whole: art becomes a thing. But this whole, which masquerades as the triumph of the artistic spirit over the
disorder of things, is really the affirmation of a deadening totality that stands in for reality. Objective forces
manifest in art today as subjective acts without an actual subjectivity, to express the power of inhumanity to
define what is most human. In other words, the power of art is not its own. Rather, it comes from the will of a
5 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
6. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
greater socio-economic authority, which uses art to merely ennoble the power it exercises over the global
arrangement to which life is increasingly beholden for sustenance.
If art has any insight into life today, it is that we have no other interior than the world. And the relative ease
with which the things that make up our reality now interconnect and cohere in art without any sense of inner
tension or contradiction reflects the momentous pressure exerted by contemporary life to make everything join
and work together like the best and worst of contemporary art itself. A numbing peace has been achieved. Art
and life would rather belong to the world than be free in it.
▴ Rachel Harrison, Detail of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 2007. mixed media sculpture.
It seems that buying anything today usually involves giving away more than money. When I bought a fan at a
store recently, the clerk not only took my cash, but also wanted to know my first, middle, and last name,
mailing address, home phone number, cell phone number, e-mail address, birth date, and my favorite holiday.
Becoming a member of the store means huge discounts and chances to meet other members at in-store
events, the clerk told me. No thanks, I said. “It pays to belong,” he insisted, as I walked out of the store.
Belonging is increasingly part of the nature of transactions. I am not a joiner, and try to ignore the offers and
2
specials that businesses use as incentives. The carrot is a stick.
Businesses profit from building communities around what they sell and communities grow by fulfilling the
wants of their members, who run them with the expediency of a business. This is the feel of how things work
now. And the experience of belonging is inextricably tied to this process, but in a way that blurs the distinction
between sharing a commonality and owning a thing. Part of what makes contemporary life contemporary is
how they are exchangeable but yet unequal. The balance is skewed towards what is yours and what is
mine—in other words, the experience of ownership as the grounding for the expansion of individual
connections and the development of our social reality in general. To belong today is to be possessed. In
belonging we actualize ourselves by possessing what we want to possess us, and find fellow feeling from
6 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
7. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
being around others who own the same properties. And by properties, I mean not only tangible things, like
shovels or tangerines, but more importantly, the immaterial things that give meaning to an inner life, like
ideas, or desires, or histories.
This is not the only way to belong, but it is the prevailing one. And it is clear enough that it reflects the
dominance of exchange relations as the means by which the social world is being constructed and maintained.
But what remains obscured is the similarity this dominion bears to a fundamentally religious concept that was
made modern by a philosopher at the root of a cast of thinking, which together heralded Western modernity.
If Descartes announced the birth of modern existence and a withering away of a notion of being framed by
God with ergo cogito sum, and Kant established the modern notion of reason unfettered by theological
constraints, it was Hegel who synthesized a modern sense of being with the autonomy of reason to produce a
social and speculative philosophy that described how people could find both freedom and belonging (precisely
freedom in belonging) in the social world. His work envisioned the coming of a universal union that rivaled the
one promised in the “good book” if only we lived under God.
Reconciliation is the concept Hegel used to frame how belonging works, and it forms the beating heart of his
thinking. Socially, it is a process that overcomes the sense of alienation that divides us from ourselves and
from all the things that exist beyond the boundary of our own skin. In his approach to reconciliation, it is
closely related to dialectics, the essential idea that drives Hegel’s entire philosophical system. Dialectics set
forth the way in which opposites or contradictions that abound in the world can be resolved and transformed
into a higher state of articulation without losing the differences that defined the separation in the first place.
This higher state finds its most realized form in reconciliation, which Hegel described as the feeling of being at
home in the world. It is what he means by freedom.
Like many of Hegel’s key terms, reconciliation is a secularization of a theological concept. In Christianity, it
means the advent of a new and vital peace between God and humanity inaugurated by the life and death of
Christ. God was made flesh in Christ, and his sacrifice restored the original relationship God enjoyed with men
and women before Adam and Eve committed original sin and condemned humanity thereafter to a fallen state.
This is far from the reconciliation Hegel had in mind for modern men and women, whom he believed could no
longer count on God to bring heaven to earth. But the seeds Hegel used to construct his philosophy for a
more perfect union in an emerging modernity were already sown in Christian doctrine. Consider, for example,
a commentary on the Psalms by Saint Augustine:
Men were held captive under the devil and served the demons, but they were redeemed from captivity. They
could sell, but could not redeem themselves. The redeemer came, and gave the price; He poured forth his
blood and bought the whole world. Do you ask what he bought? See what He gave, and find out what he
bought. The blood of Christ is the price. How much is it worth? What but the whole world? What but all
nations? (Psalms 96)
The language of salvation was already steeped in the figures of property exchange. From Saint Paul to Martin
Luther, reconciliation was represented as the payment of a price, or a ransom, or as the sacrifice made for the
forgiveness of a debt.
Hegel discarded the blood of Christ but kept the dialect of commerce to think through how a new
reconciliation could be achieved without the intervention of holy ghosts or angels. His philosophical system
amounted to a complete rethinking of how the world was created and how it would develop over time. He
imagined that the animating force that turned the world was an inner necessity that emanated from all things,
and which finds its fullest expression in a humanity that constantly and rationally strived for greater
independence from the constraints of objective reality, and at the same time, for a grander integration within
that reality. For Hegel, Spirit was an unending process and God an unyielding reason.
This is Hegel at his most modern. He placed his faith in the development of reason as the binding force that
7 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
8. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
could actualize the unification between the innumerable particularities that make up individual lives and the
general shape of the social world. But his modernity feels not so decidedly modern in light of how property
relations, which Christian doctrine used to spell out humanity’s relationship with God (and Satan), return in
Hegel as the anchor point for how we ultimately find reconciliation. By possessing property, Hegel claimed, we
externalize our will through what we own and manifest an outer existence that grants us the rights and
recognitions of being a member of a social order. In possessing property, one becomes individualized and
socialized at the same time. Whereas in Christianity it was Christ who bought humanity out of the bondage of
sin and into salvation, Hegel imagined that the power of reason had the potential to buy men and women out
of alienation and into reconciliation with the world.
Hegel died in 1831. By 1844, Marx had absorbed enough of Hegel’s philosophy to begin dismantling it. His
critique of private property as the power the ancien régime wielded over people transformed ownership into a
form of dispossession and turned Hegel upside down. The beginning of Marxism was, among other things, a
repudiation of Hegel’s worldview and the establishment of a competing philosophy that would lay the
groundwork for building another kind of worldly union. And if the Marxian vision has fallen into disrepute
today, Hegel’s vision has not fared much better. History cannot claim to be moving forward with more reason
and less irrationality with each passing day. There is no absolute spirit compelling humanity towards an
understanding of itself as the ideal embodiment of a universal rationality. And it seems that the only disciples
of Hegel left are psychoanalysts from Ljubljana.
▴ Mötley Crüe, Home Sweet Home, 1985. music video.
But even though Hegel’s aim was widely off the mark, somehow it remains true. His philosophical
interpretation of how the social world works is more relevant today than the various philosophies and theories
since that have sought to change it. Property relations continue to hold sway over how men and women
individualize and socialize themselves in the world. A semblance of reconciliation is found, although nothing in
truth feels terribly reconciled. And what Hegel foresaw as the power of reason pushing forward the
8 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
9. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
development of an ever-expanding interdependency is eerily prescient. Globalization, as the rationalizing
structure underlying our social and material world, has created what I call a state of belonging. This state has
largely replaced the three institutional forms Hegel thought would, in concert, provide the ways and means for
people to actualize themselves in a modern world: the family, the civil society, and the nation-state. Although
they still exist, they are no longer grounded in the histories and experiences that once gave them substance.
Conflicts that have flared up around what constitutes a family and the vocal and sometimes violent disputes
about national identity and immigration are symptomatic of the ways people are reacting to the state of
belonging as it uproots and transforms familial, civil, and national forms of belonging into properties that can
be exchanged and possessed like any other thing. What’s more, the idea itself of community has been purged
of any social bearing, and redescribed as an empty and abstract network of disembodied interests that merely
reflects the dominance of consumer sovereignty over actual freedom in determining the inner and outer shape
of one’s life.
That there are innumerable communities online and off for nearly every worldly difference is the most
concrete expression of this state of belonging. But the innovations that have produced ever-new forms of
belonging have not ushered in a new era of commonality and mutual understanding. Instead, they have
created a progressively stratified sense of being in the world. For what is affirmed through community in the
age of globalism is that the essential nature of belonging is not defined by the relationships established and
maintained by actual living people, but by the connections made through the things that people possess, or do
not possess, or want to possess, inside and out.
It seemed sensible enough for Hegel to imagine that reconciliation is the state of being at home in the world.
But perhaps what he did not see coming was that the home being erected in the image of the world only had
room for things to fit inside it.
▴ Dani Leventhal, 54 Days this Winter 36 Days this Spring for 18 Minutes, 2009. 18 minute single channel video.
This is, I have a feeling, part of the curious string of associations I had in mind when I first intuited that art
does not belong in a home, namely because art is not a thing. This is a pretty unworldly belief, situated
somewhere between the existence of unicorns and the coming socialist revolution. There is no real way to
9 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM
10. Paul Chan, What Art Is and Where it Belongs / Journal / e-flux http://e-flux.com/journal/view/95
substantiate it, and in fact the opposite case is clearly the reality today. Art is found not only in homes and the
usual places where we expect it to be, like galleries, nonprofit spaces, museums, corporate lobbies, and such.
Art has appeared on the sides of buildings, on abandoned grounds, in the sky, in makeshift kitchens, on river
barges, at demonstrations, in magazines, on human skin, as souvenirs, and through speakers and screens of
every imaginable shape and size. Art belongs here.
This should be welcome news, especially for artists.
Still.
This only brings to mind Groucho Marx, who once said: “I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me
as a member.” If art is made to belong, it seems to me that it is the poorer for it. This is especially the case
when art is made to belong to art itself. Echo reconciles. By forsaking the freedom realized in its own inner
development, art affirms the illusionary reconciliation brought on by the state of belonging, when in truth it
holds the greater potential of expressing, in a kind of nonjudging judgment, just how unfree this belonging
really is.
Art is, and has been, many things. For art to become art now, it must feel perfectly at home, nowhere.
A version of this text first appeared in The Return of Religion and Other Myths: A Critical Reader in Contemporary Art, edited by Maria
Hlavajova, Sven Lütticken, and Jill Winder (Utrecht and Rotterdam: BAK & post editions, 2009). The Return of Religion and Other Myths is the
third publication in the BAK Critical Reader Series.
copyright e-flux 2010
view all issues
contact e-flux journal
colophon
1
T. W. Adorno, Aesthetic Theory, trans. Robert Hullot-Kentor (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press,
1998), 1.
2
Sometimes I humor the cashier by filling out the membership form with Dick Cheney’s name and his last
known home address in Virginia.
Paul Chan is an artist who lives in New York. His solo exhibition Sade for Sade’s Sake continues through
December 5 at Greene Naftali Gallery in New York. Chan is found online at www.nationalphilistine.com.
10 of 10 2/26/10 3:08 AM