Research- 'Towards a Psychology of art' Rudolf Arnheim
Research
Towards a psychology of art
Collected Essays
Rudolf Arnheim
(1966)
Reflections, quotes and points of interest (Also any necessary Surrounding research)
In Art and Visual Perception, Arnheim tries to use science to better understand art. In his later book Visual Thinking (1969), Arnheim critiques the assumption that language goes before perception. For Arnheim, the only access to reality we have is through our senses. Arnheim also argues that perception is strongly identified with thinking, and that artistic expression is another way of reasoning. In The Power of the Center, Arnheim addresses the interaction of art and architecture on concentric and grid spatial patterns. He argues that form and content are indivisible, and that the patterns created by artists reveal the nature of human experience.
Read in the context of ts time and cultural surrounding.
This book is one that I have wanted to start reading due to my prolonged interest with the ways in which we as humans psychologically engage with art and its interpretations. I have done research into modern day work regarding this, however, it is interesting to reverse this process and start from what History has to say regarding the psychology of art. Do the themes, conclusions and concepts apply today or is it not possible to apply writing from the past to modern day. Issues of Historicism begin to emerge when considering this however this 1966 book falls somewhere between ancient philosophy/Marxist time writing and modern theorisation of both the art world and the psychology of art. Historical sources are not without there issues however that should not lead to disregard of them. Therefore, I have decided to pick some quotes and points of interest after reading this book. This will help me with a holistic analysis of its themes and for later reference.
In regard to the philosophical and religious decline underway. A decline in the ways in which life and events are no longer seen with depth of reflection to the meaning of life. How art and the meaning behind the cultural object is reduced and I’ll-considered. However, on my own reflection about this notion, there is also the idea that this was making art more accessible and removing a hierarchy. Duchamp’s toilet in 1917 was the beginning of cognitive decolonisation regarding the object and the ‘artwork’ as a symbol is hierarchy and cultural power.
‘Phenomena of perception’ p17
‘The students of artistic practice and theory have become more psychologically-conscious’ p18
It is interesting to read the ways in which psychology started to infiltrate the art world, and has done so rapidly up to today. As an art student, my work always has considered psychology, and other fields, as an integral part of itself. A holistic practice is not a requirement however it helps when considering your practice as research and also when considering where it fits in the modern world. The changes and shifts in both labour value and intellectual value during neoliberal power have meant that psychologically humans have become more complex creatures. So the consideration of this through art is surely to be expected.
‘Social aspects of artistic motivation’ p21
A lot of research has now been done surround this area in regard to what many people think art is for. There is an overwhelming notion that art is a form of communication and is used to tell the viewer something. This is still true today however there is a less tight hold on what that information is, usually and there is less stigma on reading art ‘wrong’ that there once was.
Abstraction in art along with 'concrete' concepts are ambiguous terms, this has not changed over time and abstraction is used widely in a number of practices. The above description really stood out for me as a good rendition of not only the outcome but the process of abstraction. It encapsulates the intellectual and physical processes of abstraction. The interface between where you find abstraction is also very interesting and not something I had considered often myself. Different types of art through history have learnt toward high abstraction or low abstraction, such as cave paintings and renaissance art. Abstraction is also a stylistic tool in the developed concept of visual communication. Does Renaissance art differ due to the fact it was a luxury, however cave paintings were communicative, practical as well as decorative.
'Intellectualistic Theory' Florence L. Goodenough (Psychologist) (Measurement of intelligence by drawings)
'The percept or memory trace of an object of reality does not generally consist of lines or brush strokes and is for the most part not two-dimensional.It is the image of a three dimensional body delimited from its environment by hue and brightness, differences, ect. Some of its qualities can be reproduced in drawings and painting, others cannot.'p35
This view of art being a matter of abstraction or representation is another very interesting one which investigates ideas surrounding the entire reality of imagination. I think that psychoanalytic concepts might have shaped this view with ideas of the differing consciousnesses to the brain. What you are and are not aware of shaping the visions, memories and experiences you have. Developments in art, technology and art practices reflect a new wave of visual development and conceptual development. Art has developed so far from 'the object' or the representation of an object that arguably it has become broader in its use and methods. Although this book isn't very old, it still shows its age with certain conclusions, assumptions and concepts. However, this is interesting as it gives me chance to see how concepts have developed if they have. some of the studies mentioned would be interesting to run today to test the outcomes. Certain psychology, such as the Stanford prison experiment has always had the same results, over cultures, time, ages.
'The new approach is likely also to reveal an intimate relation between the development of perceptual and representational concepts on the one hand and of mental growth in general, particularly in thinking, on the other. The interaction of the capacities to organise perceptual as well as thought-material of increasing complexity, the birth of thought, insight, understanding in the realm of perception and their development to more theoretical, intellectual processes deserve thorough psychological study'. p37
The above reflections begin to show their age as we consider the lack of changes in the ways in which children our educated. Education, as a tool, for the government is about creating a robotic thinker that is channelled through a system and their value is measured on how much money they will one day make, for themselves and therefore the mechanism of capital. However, had we used a more visual, creative education, there would be a higher likelihood of creating thinkers which can fathom a range of outcomes solutions and options for society and their lives. This is likely why this teaching method isn't championed, due to the fact creative thinking is mainly valued in a monetary sense, and less for raw, creative value.
The psychological meaning of artistic Abstraction
'...is rather the expression of an attitude toward life and an indispensable tool in dealing with the tasks of life.'p41
'However in some cases, a high degree of abstraction may express detachment from reality, an impoverishment that leaves representation with nothing but the perceptually determined play of empty forms'. p47
The above concept refers to the ways in which the artists role has often been reduced to a purely aesthetic one by the way society is divided up culture and integrated activities into specialised ones. This tends to conceal and distance the individual from their philosophical and social meaning in life due to the compartmental state of action and focus.
Certain abstraction '...can be described as a symptom of the emancipation of perceptual function from external and internal stimulus control.' p48
The gestalt Theory Of Expression Surrounding research- Gestalt theory (Overview)
Gestalt psychology or gestaltism from German: Gestalt "shape, form") is a philosophy of mind of the Berlin School of experimental psychology. Gestalt psychology is an attempt to understand the laws behind the ability to acquire and maintain meaningful perceptions in an apparently chaotic world. The central principle of gestalt psychology is that the mind forms a global whole with self-organizing tendencies.
This principle maintains that when the human mind (perceptual system) forms a percept or "gestalt", the whole has a reality of its own, independent of the parts. The original famous phrase of Gestalt psychologist Kurt Koffka, "the whole is something else than the sum of its parts" is often incorrectly translated as "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts", and thus used when explaining gestalt theory, and further incorrectly applied to systems theory. Koffka did not like the translation. He firmly corrected students who replaced "other" with "greater". "This is not a principle of addition" he said. The whole has an independent existence.
In the study of perception, Gestalt psychologists stipulate that perceptions are the products of complex interactions among various stimuli. Contrary to the behaviorist approach to focusing on stimulus and response, gestalt psychologists sought to understand the organization of cognitive processes (Carlson and Heth, 2010). Our brain is capable of generating whole forms, particularly with respect to the visual recognition of global figures instead of just collections of simpler and unrelated elements (points, lines, curves, etc.).
In psychology, gestaltism is often opposed to structuralism. Gestalt theory, it is proposed, allows for the deconstruction of the whole situation into its elements.
This chapter focuses on expression and the definition of such for the present day, 1966, therefore I was considering what expression means today. The term is used widely and extensively, much as this chapter argues.
''...to external manifestations of the human personality.' p51
Art has a way that it uses projective techniques to evoke expression in both the viewer and from way in which the art exists itself.
'By pointing to expression not only in animate but also in inanimate things, we invite a terminological difficulty.' p53
The difficulty referring to the issues when trying to use and define a term if it has multiple meanings/is being used to describe something. What is expression and what enables the viewer to experience it? This question that the book poses has been later dealt with in 'relational aesthetics' by Nicolas Bourriaud. Concerning the way in which a piece of art interacts with the viewer and the relations between the two, what expression is achieved and the logistics of how. Further, later, reflections are made by Claire Bishop. Both writers have influences my research and work greatly however I feel there is still a place for the question of expression's place and self theorisation regarding relational aesthetics. Although the relevant academia has been written the questions are still there in terms of emerging work and networks. What I am trying to conclude is that although theory of art has developed there is never a 'correct' answer or text relating to a theme or subject, only theory.
'..isomorphic structures']
'Such a theory would make expression an integral part of the elementary process of perception.' p62
'It is possible now to return to the question of how the perception of shape, movement, etc. may convey to an observer the direct experience of an expression that is structurally similar to the organisation of the observed stimulus pattern.'p62
'..expression is an integral part of the elementary perceptual process.' p63
Perceptual and aesthetic aspects of the movement response
'Visual forms are striving in certain directions. They contain directed tensions. They represent a happening rather than a being. All this occurs without the sensation of displacement in space. p74
This concept of directional notions in the visual is interesting as we consider the ways that art has changed due to the ebb and flow of society. Political movements, social concepts and ideas have been considerably mapped by art. Without knowing the relation between the two, which effects the other and back again. Such as fascism and futurism.
Relationship between visual dynamics and perceptual conditions
'...expression was defined as the 'psychological counterpart of the dynamic processes that result in the organisation of perceptual stimuli'. p82
This chapter focused also on the concept of kinesthetic components in art and psychology. The widespread notion that the dynamic components of perception can be explained only as contribution of the muscle sense is probably due to the tacit assumption that the impact of physical forces cannot be experienced except when these forces act within the observers body.
Perceptual Analysis of a Rorschach card
The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both.
' Once the main perceptual traits of a pattern have been analysed, it becomes possible to describe the expressive qualities that derive from them.' p100
A Review Of Proportion
Scale and proportion in art are both concerned with size. Scale refers to the size of an object (a whole) in relationship to another object (another whole). In art the size relationship between an object and the human body is significant. This section was interesting however my own work doesn't deal with a direct object or scale. The conceptual base of my work means that there is more concern with surrounding themes and the implication of my work than the visual relationship of the visual object within the work. However I am aiming to work further into direct aesthetic consideration.
Towards a psychology of art
Collected Essays
Rudolf Arnheim
(1966)
Reflections, quotes and points of interest (Also any necessary Surrounding research)
In Art and Visual Perception, Arnheim tries to use science to better understand art. In his later book Visual Thinking (1969), Arnheim critiques the assumption that language goes before perception. For Arnheim, the only access to reality we have is through our senses. Arnheim also argues that perception is strongly identified with thinking, and that artistic expression is another way of reasoning. In The Power of the Center, Arnheim addresses the interaction of art and architecture on concentric and grid spatial patterns. He argues that form and content are indivisible, and that the patterns created by artists reveal the nature of human experience.
Read in the context of ts time and cultural surrounding.
This book is one that I have wanted to start reading due to my prolonged interest with the ways in which we as humans psychologically engage with art and its interpretations. I have done research into modern day work regarding this, however, it is interesting to reverse this process and start from what History has to say regarding the psychology of art. Do the themes, conclusions and concepts apply today or is it not possible to apply writing from the past to modern day. Issues of Historicism begin to emerge when considering this however this 1966 book falls somewhere between ancient philosophy/Marxist time writing and modern theorisation of both the art world and the psychology of art. Historical sources are not without there issues however that should not lead to disregard of them. Therefore, I have decided to pick some quotes and points of interest after reading this book. This will help me with a holistic analysis of its themes and for later reference.
‘Our waking life is no longer symbolic’ p12
In regard to the philosophical and religious decline underway. A decline in the ways in which life and events are no longer seen with depth of reflection to the meaning of life. How art and the meaning behind the cultural object is reduced and I’ll-considered. However, on my own reflection about this notion, there is also the idea that this was making art more accessible and removing a hierarchy. Duchamp’s toilet in 1917 was the beginning of cognitive decolonisation regarding the object and the ‘artwork’ as a symbol is hierarchy and cultural power.
Agenda for the Psychology of Art
‘Phenomena of perception’ p17
‘The students of artistic practice and theory have become more psychologically-conscious’ p18
It is interesting to read the ways in which psychology started to infiltrate the art world, and has done so rapidly up to today. As an art student, my work always has considered psychology, and other fields, as an integral part of itself. A holistic practice is not a requirement however it helps when considering your practice as research and also when considering where it fits in the modern world. The changes and shifts in both labour value and intellectual value during neoliberal power have meant that psychologically humans have become more complex creatures. So the consideration of this through art is surely to be expected.
‘Social aspects of artistic motivation’ p21
A lot of research has now been done surround this area in regard to what many people think art is for. There is an overwhelming notion that art is a form of communication and is used to tell the viewer something. This is still true today however there is a less tight hold on what that information is, usually and there is less stigma on reading art ‘wrong’ that there once was.
Perceptual abstraction and Art
'...Abstraction as an intellectual elaboration of perceptual raw-material...' p29Abstraction in art along with 'concrete' concepts are ambiguous terms, this has not changed over time and abstraction is used widely in a number of practices. The above description really stood out for me as a good rendition of not only the outcome but the process of abstraction. It encapsulates the intellectual and physical processes of abstraction. The interface between where you find abstraction is also very interesting and not something I had considered often myself. Different types of art through history have learnt toward high abstraction or low abstraction, such as cave paintings and renaissance art. Abstraction is also a stylistic tool in the developed concept of visual communication. Does Renaissance art differ due to the fact it was a luxury, however cave paintings were communicative, practical as well as decorative.
'Intellectualistic Theory' Florence L. Goodenough (Psychologist) (Measurement of intelligence by drawings)
'The percept or memory trace of an object of reality does not generally consist of lines or brush strokes and is for the most part not two-dimensional.It is the image of a three dimensional body delimited from its environment by hue and brightness, differences, ect. Some of its qualities can be reproduced in drawings and painting, others cannot.'p35
This view of art being a matter of abstraction or representation is another very interesting one which investigates ideas surrounding the entire reality of imagination. I think that psychoanalytic concepts might have shaped this view with ideas of the differing consciousnesses to the brain. What you are and are not aware of shaping the visions, memories and experiences you have. Developments in art, technology and art practices reflect a new wave of visual development and conceptual development. Art has developed so far from 'the object' or the representation of an object that arguably it has become broader in its use and methods. Although this book isn't very old, it still shows its age with certain conclusions, assumptions and concepts. However, this is interesting as it gives me chance to see how concepts have developed if they have. some of the studies mentioned would be interesting to run today to test the outcomes. Certain psychology, such as the Stanford prison experiment has always had the same results, over cultures, time, ages.
'The new approach is likely also to reveal an intimate relation between the development of perceptual and representational concepts on the one hand and of mental growth in general, particularly in thinking, on the other. The interaction of the capacities to organise perceptual as well as thought-material of increasing complexity, the birth of thought, insight, understanding in the realm of perception and their development to more theoretical, intellectual processes deserve thorough psychological study'. p37
The above reflections begin to show their age as we consider the lack of changes in the ways in which children our educated. Education, as a tool, for the government is about creating a robotic thinker that is channelled through a system and their value is measured on how much money they will one day make, for themselves and therefore the mechanism of capital. However, had we used a more visual, creative education, there would be a higher likelihood of creating thinkers which can fathom a range of outcomes solutions and options for society and their lives. This is likely why this teaching method isn't championed, due to the fact creative thinking is mainly valued in a monetary sense, and less for raw, creative value.
The psychological meaning of artistic Abstraction
'...is rather the expression of an attitude toward life and an indispensable tool in dealing with the tasks of life.'p41
'However in some cases, a high degree of abstraction may express detachment from reality, an impoverishment that leaves representation with nothing but the perceptually determined play of empty forms'. p47
The above concept refers to the ways in which the artists role has often been reduced to a purely aesthetic one by the way society is divided up culture and integrated activities into specialised ones. This tends to conceal and distance the individual from their philosophical and social meaning in life due to the compartmental state of action and focus.
Certain abstraction '...can be described as a symptom of the emancipation of perceptual function from external and internal stimulus control.' p48
The gestalt Theory Of Expression Surrounding research- Gestalt theory (Overview)
Gestalt psychology or gestaltism from German: Gestalt "shape, form") is a philosophy of mind of the Berlin School of experimental psychology. Gestalt psychology is an attempt to understand the laws behind the ability to acquire and maintain meaningful perceptions in an apparently chaotic world. The central principle of gestalt psychology is that the mind forms a global whole with self-organizing tendencies.
This principle maintains that when the human mind (perceptual system) forms a percept or "gestalt", the whole has a reality of its own, independent of the parts. The original famous phrase of Gestalt psychologist Kurt Koffka, "the whole is something else than the sum of its parts" is often incorrectly translated as "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts", and thus used when explaining gestalt theory, and further incorrectly applied to systems theory. Koffka did not like the translation. He firmly corrected students who replaced "other" with "greater". "This is not a principle of addition" he said. The whole has an independent existence.
In the study of perception, Gestalt psychologists stipulate that perceptions are the products of complex interactions among various stimuli. Contrary to the behaviorist approach to focusing on stimulus and response, gestalt psychologists sought to understand the organization of cognitive processes (Carlson and Heth, 2010). Our brain is capable of generating whole forms, particularly with respect to the visual recognition of global figures instead of just collections of simpler and unrelated elements (points, lines, curves, etc.).
In psychology, gestaltism is often opposed to structuralism. Gestalt theory, it is proposed, allows for the deconstruction of the whole situation into its elements.
This chapter focuses on expression and the definition of such for the present day, 1966, therefore I was considering what expression means today. The term is used widely and extensively, much as this chapter argues.
''...to external manifestations of the human personality.' p51
Art has a way that it uses projective techniques to evoke expression in both the viewer and from way in which the art exists itself.
'By pointing to expression not only in animate but also in inanimate things, we invite a terminological difficulty.' p53
The difficulty referring to the issues when trying to use and define a term if it has multiple meanings/is being used to describe something. What is expression and what enables the viewer to experience it? This question that the book poses has been later dealt with in 'relational aesthetics' by Nicolas Bourriaud. Concerning the way in which a piece of art interacts with the viewer and the relations between the two, what expression is achieved and the logistics of how. Further, later, reflections are made by Claire Bishop. Both writers have influences my research and work greatly however I feel there is still a place for the question of expression's place and self theorisation regarding relational aesthetics. Although the relevant academia has been written the questions are still there in terms of emerging work and networks. What I am trying to conclude is that although theory of art has developed there is never a 'correct' answer or text relating to a theme or subject, only theory.
'..isomorphic structures']
'Such a theory would make expression an integral part of the elementary process of perception.' p62
'It is possible now to return to the question of how the perception of shape, movement, etc. may convey to an observer the direct experience of an expression that is structurally similar to the organisation of the observed stimulus pattern.'p62
'..expression is an integral part of the elementary perceptual process.' p63
Perceptual and aesthetic aspects of the movement response
'Visual forms are striving in certain directions. They contain directed tensions. They represent a happening rather than a being. All this occurs without the sensation of displacement in space. p74
This concept of directional notions in the visual is interesting as we consider the ways that art has changed due to the ebb and flow of society. Political movements, social concepts and ideas have been considerably mapped by art. Without knowing the relation between the two, which effects the other and back again. Such as fascism and futurism.
Relationship between visual dynamics and perceptual conditions
'...expression was defined as the 'psychological counterpart of the dynamic processes that result in the organisation of perceptual stimuli'. p82
This chapter focused also on the concept of kinesthetic components in art and psychology. The widespread notion that the dynamic components of perception can be explained only as contribution of the muscle sense is probably due to the tacit assumption that the impact of physical forces cannot be experienced except when these forces act within the observers body.
Perceptual Analysis of a Rorschach card
The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both.
' Once the main perceptual traits of a pattern have been analysed, it becomes possible to describe the expressive qualities that derive from them.' p100
A Review Of Proportion
Scale and proportion in art are both concerned with size. Scale refers to the size of an object (a whole) in relationship to another object (another whole). In art the size relationship between an object and the human body is significant. This section was interesting however my own work doesn't deal with a direct object or scale. The conceptual base of my work means that there is more concern with surrounding themes and the implication of my work than the visual relationship of the visual object within the work. However I am aiming to work further into direct aesthetic consideration.
My recent 'tapestry' work that is under craft is of large scale, meaning there is a scale consideration there along with proportion. What does an artwork mean if it is larger than the viewer looking at it?
THE VISIBLE WORLD
The myth of the bleating lamb
'We are the victims of a tradition according to which the senses furnish nothing better or worse than the raw material of experience.' p137
Ivan P. Pavlov 'Concerning the artistic and thinking human types.'p137
'Images through knowledge.' p139
'Do words shape the visible world?' p139
'The most spectacular example of the the introverted view of perception has come from the so-called linguistic determinists. Since the visual world in itself is taken to be shapeless, some non perceptual power must be doing the job of separating one object from the next, discovering similarities and differences, inferring generalities from individual instances, and establishing the character of any particular thing or species. This power is said to be language, language, the entirely man-made medium, which names things by arbitrary signs rather than embody them; language, the supreme demonstration of man's capacity to detach himself from direct intercourse with reality. It is language that we are supposed to owe the world as we see it.' p 140
'The world of sight appears as a colourful nightmare, truly the invention of men of words.' p140
To Herder, human beings are distinguished from the instinct-driven animals by what he calls Besonnenheit, reflection ‘ Man gives proof of reflection when the power of his soul acts so freely that he can segregate, if i may say so, one wave in the entire ocean of sensations which rushes through all of his senses- segregate it, stop it, direct his attention to it, and be conscious of his attention. He gives proof of reflection when out of the whole drifting dream of images that passes by his senses he can collect himself in one image, observe it lucidly and more calmly and pick out for himself characteristics, which show that this is the object and no other.’ p140
'The world of sight appears as a colourful nightmare, truly the invention of men of words.' p140
To Herder, human beings are distinguished from the instinct-driven animals by what he calls Besonnenheit, reflection ‘ Man gives proof of reflection when the power of his soul acts so freely that he can segregate, if i may say so, one wave in the entire ocean of sensations which rushes through all of his senses- segregate it, stop it, direct his attention to it, and be conscious of his attention. He gives proof of reflection when out of the whole drifting dream of images that passes by his senses he can collect himself in one image, observe it lucidly and more calmly and pick out for himself characteristics, which show that this is the object and no other.’ p140
Strength of reflective processes. Integral to my own practice and development.
Thought can be present without words. Jacques Hadamard's 'Discovery as a synthesis'
Genuine creative thinking, which makes progress in the sciences and other exercises of the intellect, consists in the handling of perceptually conceived objects and forces. This would mean that the majority of modern education would be hindering this development instead of adding to it.
Art History and the Partial God
This chapter investigates art, illusion and understanding. What might be understood now as 'communication science'. The same type of notions are widely accepted such as the mental state and values of a person change the way information is absorbed or understood. The ways in which expectation creates illusions and knowledge fills the gaps.
Accident and Necessity of Art
'...accident is also one of the trademarks of human behaviour'. p174
Melancholy Unshaped
Focus on film as a less consuming art form, a documentary art form. Film leaves its raw material more or less intact. There was also a real focus on the mechanical image as it referred to ti as. The image that is produced from photography, something considered less to be artwork. Still, to this day, artwork made through film and photography sits on the cusp due to the increased popularity of photography and the availability of quality cameras.
From Function To Expression
'The aesthetic status of function and functionality in architecture and other applied arts has been uncertain and uneasy.' p192
This interface is something my own work has wrestled with for some time. less the direct functionality but the conceptual functionality in which I allow and expect my own work to withhold. A lot of my work runs as kind of case studies into different conditions within the art world. These conditions have commentary which aligns with them, it is this alignment which determines the work as useful or useless in terms of the emotive and theoretical response from the audience. the relational aesthetics of the work.
Where is the line drawn between art and design? does the artistic value of a work change depending on its use value?
'Man-made objects, on the other hand, are produced by external forces, whose relations to the shapes of these objects are far more simple.' p194
'Beauty is treated traditionally as an entity totally separate not only from function but also from expression.'p197
The psychology of beauty based on concepts of harmony and traditional values of pleasure.
'...the expressive component of behaviour..' p199
'In the broadest sense, this principle derives from man's desire to be aware of his condition, that is, to understand his existence.'p203
'Natural objects are created by the very forces that constitute them.' p203
SYMBOLS
Artistic Symbols- Freudian and Otherwise
'In the human mind, different strivings are not completely insulated from each other, and therefore strong preoccupations may be expected to intrude into activities genuinely directed toward other aims ' p208
'In at least one respect, the psychoanalytic approach has done a service to the understanding of art.' p219
'Thus, the work of art symbolises all the levels of reality that lie between the phenomenon and the idea. It counteracts the impoverishment of vision that results when any of these levels is viewed in isolation of the others, and encourages the synthesis of conception that is the mark of wisdom.' p221
The way in which this book, and many texts discusses art, places it on a hierarchy which elevates it greatly. this has happened across decades of art theory and I struggle with it due to its wealth and colonial backing. However, it is difficult to discuss art without mentioning it ethereal influences, feeling and emotive language.
Perceptual analysis of a symbol of interaction
interesting yet not relevant enough to my work.
The book then goes on to analyse artworks in expensive detail. Until it resumes back to thematic chapters.
Abstract Language And The Metaphor
This chapter is specifically relevant to my own work as I try to render concepts, ideas and facts 'live' within my work. therefore, it is inherently conceptual and metaphorical. My work has always been metaphorical yet this in itself relays issues due to the objective nature of such and therefore the expectation of the viewer to 'read it properly'. Through my practice development I have relinquished the desire for the exact and truthful metaphor to be displayed and championed that the perceptual and expressive characteristics can in some way carry a message through emotive communication. Even the initial exposure to 'art' can allow the brain to be more likely to accept concepts in which otherwise it would be harshly closed off to.
Emptiness of concepts leading to the need for details be them literary or visual.
'The increased detachment of modern language from the perceptual appearance of things poses a problem for the poet'. p268
The example in this chapter of T.S.Eliot , in the third of his Four Quartets, gives artistic reality to this thought by capturing the movement of the sea in the perceptually effective beat of the bell and by embodying the dynamics of human striving. I have read a lot of T.S.Eliot and his work, The Wasteland has been a continual influence of mine, an inspiration and also a type of muse for reflection and admiration.
Art and poetries interface has been something that has always interested me however my own poetry has taken a back seat recently. In this chapter the two are analysed as creative entities of art, yet their differences are acknowledged.
'Modern man has become capable of thinking in theoretical concepts, but he is still in constant search of perceptual 'models' that will allow him to deal with universals in the tangible form of concrete application Any work of art offers just such a model situation. It stresses and clarifies features that symbolise the general significance of its specific subject matter.' p270
'Psychological studies have shown that imagination, far from portraying everything with the automatic faithfulness of the camera, may dwell on any level of abstraction'. p277
Metaphor representing contradictions of modern life.
Unconscious being chaotic- art often associated with the unconscious.
'The task of processing the raw material of experience is reserved to the highest functions of the mind.' p290
Contemplation and Creativity
This chapter was an example of the ways in which the system has not changed/is a recognition of the way in which the world was moving toward capital individualism. This chapter discusses what it means to be creative and how perception with value alter this in an artist. Considering what true contemplation is. Has contemplation changed as result of surrounding factors.
'Since we have learned that success is based on competition, we believe to be creative is to be different.' p298
Emotion and Feeling in psychology and Art
'Psychologists speak o motivation when they wish to describe the strivings of the perceiving self, the eager rat, the hungry stomach, or the searching thought'. p310
'The aspects of reality inherent in the work of art ar not only received as factual information but arouse states of mind that are called emotions and feelings.' p311
'Art, the, deals with the mental state that, so far, psychology has failed to investigate.' p312
Aesthetics being a way of showing the idea of a feeling. A projection?
The Form we Seek
'The purpose of art and craft is to make the world visible.' p355
Does this mean not only the classic beauty of it but also the modern ugly truths in which we bury. Showing facts and visuality to the world in which people are making efforts to hide. My own work would say yes, that is the job of art. Modern, historic and future. For there to be a visibility to the time in which has been lived through, investigation of the human condition through expression.
Psychology has advances since this book however, its investigation, concepts and findings have been very interesting. Connections have been made which I before did not consider. Psychology is a regular theme in art however, the psychology of art is a different investigation. Its means not always objective yet the survival of art would suggest completely valid.
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