The work of Pollock, Newman, Rothko - Essay Example

Art Theorized art is often difficult for most people to understand because they have little to no comprehension of the theories that lie behind this particular art form. Unlike traditional art, late modernist paintings such as those created by Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko sought to convey something more than the pictorial element while remaining free of the laws and rules of composition that had been constructed and built upon since the time of the ancient Greeks. These paintings seek to convey an emotional context that remains separate from any kind of recognizable subject. This is done through the artful use of color and form as they interact with or are a part of the materials and support. “In its purest form in Western art, an abstract art is … completely non-objective or non-representational” (Boddy-Evans, 2006). One of the most vocal critics of Modern art, Clement Greenberg, also became the unwitting champion of this form of art as he wrote about the theories behind its use, the value of art as art and the importance of artistic purity in conveying these concepts in his essay “Modernist Painting” published in 1961. Also writing about the theories behind the avant-garde artist, Donald Kuspit recently explored the issues of the meaning or import of art especially as it applies to this more ‘pure’ art form. While exploring the theories of these two men regarding the purpose of art and how abstract art is in the best position to convey this purpose, the artwork of Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko will be used as illustrative examples of how to apply these theories. When discussing the art practices of the late Modern movement, it is important to include the main ideas associated with the “politics of representation” that form part of the basis for the methods and theories behind abstract art’s creation and appreciation that are not necessarily separate from the reason or method by which the artist attained his expression. This collective term makes a distinction between the content of an image and the form of the image, or the sublime versus the visual. The reason for this phenomenon being that art is not static, but rather interactive with its audience and the political and social ideas of the audience’s present as well as the symbols inherent in the particular forms used within the artwork. By reducing the recognizable forms, therefore, it becomes possible for the artist to attain a more pure expression in his or her creation. Jean-Francois Lyotard argues that avant-garde art uses experimental innovations in technique and structure to attempt "to make visible that there is something which can be conceived and which can neither be seen nor made visible" (Lyotard, p. 78). This “something that can be conceived but not seen nor made visible” is often referred to as the sublime, a quality of transcendent greatness “with which nothing else can be compared and which is beyond all possibility of calculation, measurement or imitation” (Wikipedia, 2006). The presence of this sublime element, then, inspires the imagination in a specific direction based on which elements remain visible or understandable. Its significance is in the way in which it brings attention to the uncertainty of meaning inherent in the work, such that no resolution makes itself apparent. “It expresses the edge of our conceptual powers and reveals the multiplicity and instability of the postmodern world” (Lyotard). However, while Lyotard felt the subject of the painting should remain identifiable in order to assist in the expression of these deeper meanings, other philosophers regarding art felt the meaning should be inherent in the work itself without outside dependence of any kind. Immanuel Kant’s theory of the sublime, on the other hand, states that “the aesthetic of the sublime is where modern art (including literature) finds its impetus, and where the logic of the avante-garde finds its axioms” (Kant, 1790, p. 10). For Kant, the feeling of the sublime is a feeling of both pleasure and pain, the pleasure one feels at the pain inherent in the conflict between the subject’s capacity to conceive something and to represent it. For example, we have the idea of the totality of what is, but we can make no representation of it. Modern art devotes itself “to presenting the existence of something unpresentable”; “it will make one see only by prohibiting one from seeing” (Kant, 1790, p. 11). Systems of reasoning used to justify such art “remain inexplicable without the incommensurability between reality and concept,” an incommensurability that they cannot but disguise (Kant, 1790, p. 12). In contrast, the avant-gardes “continually expose the artifices of presentation that allow thought to be enslaved by the gaze and diverted from the unpresentable” (Kant, 1790, p. 12). Through this sort of logic, Kant established the idea of self-criticism, allowing the work to speak for itself as its own explanation without depending upon other art forms for its depth of meaning. It was upon these theories of Kant that Clement Greenberg based his thoughts as they are written in “Modernist Painting” as well as other essays regarding art. The process established by Kant of evaluating a piece of art through the techniques used to create it and the medium of which it was created evolved into the concept of ‘self-criticism’ as propounded by Greenberg. Instead of using painting techniques such as perspective, shading and juxtaposition to create an illusion of space and depth, or three dimensionality upon a two dimensional plane, thereby calling attention to the subject presented in the artwork, it is Greenberg’s position that these techniques should be used to call attention to the artwork itself. This is done by emphasizing what was “unique and irreducible in art in general” as well as what was “unique and irreducible to each particular art” (Greenberg, 1961). This meant, paintings should be defined not by what they represent, but by the material upon which they are painted, the selection and dispersal of the pigments and the method by which these pigments are applied to the material. “The task of self-criticism became to eliminate from the specific effects of each art any and every effect that might conceivably be borrowed from or by the medium of any other art. Thus would each art be rendered ‘pure,’ and in its ‘purity’ find the guarantee of its standards of quality as well as of its independence. ‘Purity’ meant self-definition, and the enterprise of self-criticism in the arts became one of self-definition with a vengeance” (Greenberg, 1961). Thus, the meaning and the message of the art form was expected to be part and parcel of the visual detail presented to the viewer, without borrowing from any other recognizable form, allowing the paint and the support to stand on its own as its own explanation. Donald Kuspit adds to this debate by defending late Modern art as “a temple in which humanity can find sanctuary, an inviolate space in which its spirit can be restored” (1994, p. 26). The crux of Kuspit’s argument lies upon this concept of spiritual renewal through the experience of the avant-garde, a term he uses in the place of modernist as a means of distinguishing from art that has a discernable subject. “The avant-garde artist makes art, in Kuspit’s view, in order to overcome a desperate sense of decadence and inner deadness. He creates works that rejuvenate him and in turn revivify the viewer who shares the artist’s spiritual desolation and need for cure” (Collins, 1993). Because it represents the ultimate freedom of both expression and much greater possibilities of interpretation, the avant-garde artwork presents both the artist and the viewer with a sense of self that cannot be experienced in another way. By throwing away the rule books of traditional art and stepping away from the need to express an emotion or idea through the subjective symbolism of a specific culture or time period, the artist has gained a fresh vigor, “a kind of youth and spring, a kind of habitual intoxication” (Kuspit, 1994, p. 1). Even as he writes about the unique ability of art to form this bridge between the self and the free expression of emotion, Kuspit discusses why it is only in avant-garde art that such freedom is possible. “Traditional art is too rule-bound, dominated by its representational content, and tied to institutionalized symbolic programs to catalyze the viewer’s deepest emotions. Only an abstract or deformative art can both liberate the viewer from social convention and fully engage his unconscious” (Collins, 1993). The absence of specific forms frees the artist to express the emotion he is trying to express without any limitations, allowing a much greater infusion of this emotion into the final work. In the meantime, the absence of forms almost demands the viewer to find his own way through the painting, exploring his own sense of reality and emotion in the confrontation with the compositional elements, pigment colors and mode of presentation. The artwork becomes “a medium of feeling presentation as well as of sense presentation” (Kuspit, 1994, p. 8) that encourages the expression of the inner child in its freedom in such a way that traditional paintings and sculptures are not able to do because of their stolid, staid presentation within the strict confines of a particular school of expression. To help bring about an understanding of these concepts, it is often helpful to look at a few examples of what is being discussed. Barnett Newman, born in 1905 and growing up in the Bronx in New York, was one of the early abstract expressionists to be recognized, along with Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko among others. Although he was widely recognized as an artist of the sublime and stated early in his artistic career that he felt any art worthy of being recognized as such should address such important issues as life, man, nature, death and tragedy, he eventually backed away from any definition of his art, preferring to allow it to speak for itself in true avant-garde fashion. Important aspects of his paintings are the large proportions of the pieces and the ability to experience them firsthand. Newman himself indicated that his paintings should be seen from a close distance so that the work could do what it was intended and invoke the feelings of heightened self-awareness that he’d intended. This proximity allowed each individual detail of the painting to be observed and experienced, both separately and in combination with all of the other elements to elicit a response. In Pagan Void (pictured below), he attempts to convey a sense of otherworldly calm that is not necessarily as devoid of content as one might think from the title itself. Pagan Void (Newman, 1946) In this painting, an amorphous ringlet of light blue-green surrounds an almost dead black circular center. The dark blue shapes present in this lighter section could be crawling out, being pulled in or simply existing on the edge of this circle. While some of them might resemble bugs and worms to some viewers, others might see these shapes as birds, butterflies or lines of energy. The concept of energy is heightened by an almost jagged pale yellow background to the most dominant of these shapes. Streaks of this blue extend into the void in the center, making it not such a void after all. A small, intricate shape of red and blue rests at the bottom left hand corner of the painting, existing as perhaps a fairy, perhaps a butterfly, perhaps a demon or perhaps a rent in the fabric of the space involved. This shape is brought into balance with a small red orb existing just to the top of center in the void itself. The various ways in which these shapes can be interpreted, both in connection with and separate from the name given the piece indicate the various ways in which the viewer can interact with it specifically because of its lack of specificity. Like Newman, the works of Jackson Pollock include no reference to subject, but present various modes and methods of interpretation. Also like Newman, Pollock preferred to work in larger scales and encouraged personal, first hand experience in order to experience the greatest possible emotional experience to the works presented. In keeping with the avant-garde approach, Pollock abandoned many of the traditional rules of composition, such as establishing a focal point or maintaining a rigid connection with his original canvas, sometimes overlapping, running off the edge or even cropping canvas from an image to make it conform more fully to his idea of the emotion to be conveyed. Using a characteristic technique pioneered by himself, Pollock was known as an ‘action painter.’ “Instead of using the traditional easel he affixed his canvas to the floor or the wall and poured and dripped his paint from a can; instead of using brushes he manipulated it with ‘sticks, trowels or knives’ (to use his own words), sometimes obtaining a heavy impasto by an admixture of ‘sand, broken glass or other foreign matter.’” (Wyo, 2006). By painting in this method, Pollock felt he was able to achieve a more direct connection with his emotions and was therefore able to more fully capture them upon the canvas to reveal them for and within his audiences. The painting below, Lavender Mist, was created in 1950 using this particular technique. Lavender Mist (Pollock, 1950) This painting, as it is presented in person, measures approximately 10 feet long and therefore quite overwhelming when seen in close proximity. The colors and textures of the painting are arresting, pulling the viewer into its depths without making any attempt to convey a sense of depth. The interplay of these illicit a deeper sense of involvement even as the confusing jumble of lines has the effect of dulling the other senses, allowing the viewer to sink deep within himself for a closer inspection of his emotional reactions. Without the distractions of subject matter or even focal point, the eye is encouraged to wander the canvas as randomly as it pleases, reflecting upon the unconscious feelings and emotions that arise while being energized by the spirit of the painting, creating an active interaction between artwork and individual difficult to attain through other methods. Yet another of the pioneer Abstract Expressionists was Mark Rothko, a Russian-American painter who was characterized by a rigorous attention to the elements of his paintings in terms of color, shape, balance, depth, composition and scale (Weiss, 2006). However, his purpose in creating his works went far beyond the summation of its parts, as he felt it was necessary for a good painting to be about something. A strict attention to these other elements of painting without having a purpose was, he felt, only an expression of academic study and not to be confused with art. His paintings, such as White Center (below) is an example of the types of works he produced throughout the 1950s, known now as color field painting. As can be readily observed, this type of painting is characterized by large areas of undiluted bands of color. White Center (Rothko, 1950) With its wide bands of brilliant colors, this painting expresses a high degree of balanced energy. “In his large floating rectangles of color, which seem to engulf the spectator, he explored with a rare mastery of nuance the expressive potential of color contrasts and modulations” (Weiss, 2006). The narrow band of black just above the white center helps to emphasize this open center section, inviting the viewer to explore the open places in his own emotional walls while the brilliant pinks and oranges encourage friendly, happy thoughts in a non-threatening open format. Thus, abstract art, if it is to be enjoyed to its full extent, requires and demands the interaction between artist, canvas and viewer in a way that was not accomplished in the more staid and solid forms of traditional art. Without the introduction of a specific subject, it becomes the work of the viewer to interpret the painting in a manner that speaks to his emotions rather than his intellect and that does not depend upon outside influences in order to present its meaning. In this respect, avant-garde art is not a neutral or innocent activity, but rather one with profound effects on everyday lives. Although some would argue that this type of art relies on a non-definition of societal symbols and forms to provide the ultimate expression of the sublime, the reality is that there are no forms that have not attached to themselves specific societal meanings, requiring their absence in order to fully access the emotions involved. Artists such as Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko changed the face of abstract art in a way that corroborates the theories of Clement Greenberg and Donald Kuspit. By removing these types of images, these art forms become powerful tools in assisting the viewer to access and explore his emotions in a way influenced by the expressive quality of the paint, texture, support and presentation of non-representational forms artistically presented to heighten these attributes. References Boddy-Evans, Marion. (2006). “Abstract Art: An Introduction.” About Abstract Art. Retrieved 15 September 2006 from Collins, Bradley. (Winter, 1993). “The Cult of the Avant-Garde Artist: Book Reviews.” Art Journal. Greenberg, Clement. (1961). “Modernist Painting.” Rpt. in Art in Theory 1900-1990: An Anthology of Changing Ideas. Charles Harrison and Paul Wood Eds. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 1992, pp. 754-760 Kant, Immanuel. (1790). The Critique of Judgement. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kuspit, Donald. (1994). The Cult of the Avant-Garde Artist. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lyotard, Jean-Francois. (1997). The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. Trans. Geoff. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota. Newman, Barnett. (1946). Pagan Void. [painting]. Image retrieved 15 September 2006 from < http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pimage?69320+0+0> Pollock, Jackson. (1950). Lavender Mist. [painting]. Image retrieved 15 September 2006 from Rothko, Mark. (1950). White Center. [painting]. Image retrieved 15 September 2006 from < http://www.harley.com/art/abstract-art/index.html> Weiss, Jeffrey. (2006). Mark Rothko. Washington D.C.: National Gallery of Art. Wikipedia contributors. (2006). Sublime (philosophy). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15 September, 2006 from Wyo, Cody. (2006). “Pioneer of Abstract Expressionism.” Beat Museum. Retrieved 15 September 2006 from < http://www.beatmuseum.org/pollock/jacksonpollock.html> Read More