Outside Reading Reflection: Some More Kant in Practice

 Outside Reading Reflection: Some More Kant in Practice

My term paper discussed Immanuel Kant’s Essay The Critique of Judgement. In the paper I was comparing his ideas about aesthetics in art to the idea that famous designer/artist James Whistler held. In the end I found that both men felt that talent and human touch was required for something to be considered art, while their view on the depth/ purpose of art probably differs (Kant felt that good art allows for contemplation while Whistler practiced art for the sake of art). While reading Kant’s essay I found a point that stood out to me that I wasn’t able to work into the paper. Coincidentally, the day the term papers were due, the Fine Art department’s Senior who participated in the Senior Showcase had one last critique with the Torggler’s Curator, Lucas, as we visited our pieces in the gallery. When talking about a classmate's series, Lucas actually mentioned Kant and this same point that stood out to me.

Kant States: “Hence the finality in the product of fine art, intentional though it be, must not have the appearance of being intentional; i.e. fine art must be clothed with the aspect of nature, although we recognize it to be art. But the way in which a product of art seems like nature, is by the presence of perfect exactness in the agreement with rules prescribing how alone the product can be what it is intended to be, but with an absence of labored effect…”

Essentially what Lucas and Kant were saying was that effective art is neither arbitrary in the elements of the piece or aggressive with the message the artist intends. The meaning of a piece should be seamless and almost look unintentional. This makes sense because if there is no meaning or if the piece is too vague it can leave the viewer confused with why they are looking, likewise if the message is shoved down the throat of the viewer it can turn them off from the message and look “cheesy”. There is a fine balance that, as an artist, I’m still trying to find when it comes to this concept of art.

Madeline Wells

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lillian Young: Narcissus and Beauty

 The myth of Narcissus invites us to contemplate the deeper connection between external beauty and the inner self. In our society, where physical appearance often takes center stage, the story serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of balance and self-awareness. Beauty, when appreciated in moderation, can be a source of confidence and positive self-esteem. However, when taken to extremes, it can lead to a distorted sense of self-worth and a detachment from reality. The myth prompts us to reconsider the definition of beauty itself. Bueaty is multifacited, with countless variables. The story of Narcissus encourages us to delve beyond the surface and appreciate the profound beauty that originates from the depth of our character.
Read more

Art and Ritual- Reading Reflection

 I decided to use this material for my final paper as I find this particular reading incredibly interesting. Both Ancient Greece and ancient human behavior fascinate me and I believe that Jane Allen Harrison does a fantastic job at lacing together history with philosophy. What is interesting about viewing art with participation as ritual, is that it can be utilized in different ways. First and foremost, the author's main argument is that the Dionysiac rituals that involved choir and playwriting eventually turned into the plays, dramas, and television that we see today. Over time, the ancient ritual became modern art. We can also look at her argument from a modern standpoint, where activities like tourism and the greater phenomenon of globalization can lead people from one country or ethnicity to experience the rituals of another. To the tourist or the foreigner, it is a piece of art, while to the native is it a ritual.  I do disagree with the author on a few points. Jane Allen...
Read more

Sara Rice: guest lecture reflection- beauty in life

  After this guest lecture, I really reflected on this person’s point of view in life. I have always thought that it is so unique how people can go through really terrible things in life, but still have a positive outlook on life. Although this example is much less extreme, I thought about all the beautiful things I have also taken for granted during my life. It reminded me of the saying “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side”. I think in a lot of ways people continuously search for the next best thing without appreciating the current beauty. I know in my life I’ve done the same thing where I’ve been more interested in taking a picture of something beautiful rather than really taking it in and being present with the moment. However, other times in my life when I’ve been able to truly take in a moment for what it is, I have a better memory of it even without taking a picture of it. I took this lecture in a different way than what it was probably intended for, but I have b...
Read more