Philosophy of Art

A question revisited: What is Art?

Art, all art, has this characteristic, that it unites people. Every art causes those to whom the artist's feeling is transmitted to unite in soul with the artist and also with all who receive the same impression. (Tolstoy in Kennick 1974, p.17)

Every good painter paints what he is. (Jackson Pollock)

The importance of art is as great as significant as the importance of speech. Art can cross boundaries of time and space to bring the observer to a conscious awareness of what the artist experienced. The observer can become aware of pain and isolation that is reflected in the artists experience when creating the work of art. Art passes on feelings and concepts. It constantly evolves and awakens humanity so that humanity becomes aware of its goodness. Thus Tolstoy meant something similar when he wrote that "the more it fulfils this, the better the art". "The less it fulfils this purpose the poorer the art". "Art is communication in humanity and it unites and evolves". "Art, all art, has this characteristic, that it unites people". "Every art causes those to whom the artist's feeling is transmitted to unite in soul with the artist and also with all who receive the same impression". (Tolstoy in Kennick 1974, p.17). There is an interchange of thoughts, expressions, ideas and experiences from the artist to the observer. Art can cause variations of thought for the observer. One might learn something new about themselves when viewing a particular work of art. Thus art is a form of language between the artist and the observer.The language of art is very complex. It may be hard to express how to feel when observing a work of art. However, art utilizes its own language so one can experience sensation.The factor of colour, texture, mood is attributed to sensation and serves as a tool for ones own inspiration, understanding or self knowledge. Art can be a form of medication. It can heal as well as soothe. The surreal realism of art can evoke wild emotional states and these particular states can be the gateway to an idea, a truth, and understanding and serve as a positive treatment for the body. In other words, Art is a form of medication for the mind that has positive affects on the body. Art can have healing benefits on the mind and body. This is then calculated form one observer to the next and can have a universal impact. This impact generates influence across time and space. Thus, good art withstands time and space.

Schopenhauer's Aesthetics:

For Schopenhauer, the Will is an aimless desire that only annihilates itself. This desire contributes to the sadness and pain that exists in this world because each desire of the will leaves us empty or seeking a new dead end desire. Schopenhauer believed that this universal dilemma of the will causes universal conflict. The mind generates a world of representation which opposes the will; but the will is the source of life which competes with the representation and the will stands alone which then becomes the reason for universal conflict and suffering. His aesthetics serve as an alternative for pessimism. He believed that aesthetic experiences entail aesthetic appreciation which allows the observer to refrain from the desire of the will. The aesthetic experience temporarily emancipates the observer form the Will and lets the observer experience pure perception. Thus the artist was also less of a subject to the will. So anyone who less dominated by the will; concerns in life, politics, socialization, ect and are more aware and taken in by aesthetic value and appreciation serve as an example of the domination of the evil will.

Kant's Aesthetics:

Kant investigates the conditions of the validity of feeling that is conveyed to subjects, cognition and desire He denies objective existence to beauty. Aesthetic value for Kant is pleasure by an object of pure contemplation. This aesthetic satisfaction is free from all concern about the world . While beauty does not have objective validity he asserts that the woa has universal subjective validity. So an object pronounced beautiful will please. This stems from our aesthetic judgment which Kant states is always, an "individual" "or a singular one" of the form . He objects that one can attain a valid universal aesthetic judgment of the form. Kant thinks of nature of nature as an aesthetic pleasure which ranks high above art. Kant's main service to aesthetics consists in the critical determination of its objective or aim and its fundamental problems.
Is beauty a single quality in objects?
At the outset we are confronted with an old and almost baffling question: "Is beauty a single quality inherent in objects of perception like form or colour?" Common language certainly suggests that it is. Aesthetics, too, began its inquiry at the same point of view, and its history shows how much pains men have taken in trying to determine the nature of this attribute, as well as that of the faculty of the soul by which it is perceived. Yet a little examination of the facts suffices to show that the theory is beset with serious difficulties. Whatever beauty may be it is certainly not a quality of an object in the same way in which the colour or the form of it is a quality. These are physical qualities, known to us by specific modifications of our sensations.

Formalists and expressionists??

A Formalists is regarded as one who views beauty as formal or residing in form whereas others; the idealists or expressionists, view it "as residing in a content or expression". Unlike other theories who attempt to find a single principle of beauty, these theories can be criticized. A musical composition which exhibits beauty may be in form and expression simultaneously.

Three ultimate modes of beauty?

1. Sensuous beauty. 2. Beauty of form and 3. Beauty of meaning or expression. They are argued to not be reducible to any higher or more comprehensive principle.

Aesthetics and ethics??
woa-work of art.
Art has an influence on the social world, societies and cultures. This influence derives from aesthetic appreciation for the woa. This appreciation gives way to emotional experience where people collectively feel the various emotions and become self aware of these feelings which ultimately help unify any given environment via aesthetic enjoyment. The influence of the woa on humanity then creates questions about the woa.