Progress in ArtIs there progress in art? The question is one which most people would answer vehemently in the negative without giving it much thought. And yet, how is one to account for changes in artistic style? And what is one to think about modern art, which still seems baffling to many in comparison with traditional figurative art? Suzi Gablik's challenging argument is that art, like science, has a history, order and structure which can be called progressive. Progress, however, is not a question of moral or esthetic improvement but involves a cognitive 'growth' of artistic styles and is related to transformations in modes of thinking. The model used for the argument is based on principles of developmental psychology advanced by the famous and revolutionary Swiss experimental psychologist Jean Piaget. By demonstrating the way in which art is linked with the acquisition of stages of development: increasingly complex perceptual and logical structures lead to mental organizations which are increasingly dominated by scientific, rationalistic and conceptual modes of thinking in contrast to earlier more mystical ones. In this light, an attempt is made to explain the shift in art from figurative or iconic representation, where the image resembles the object to which it refers, towards non-representational art which is abstract and conceptual in organization. Three sections of illustrations demonstrate, through revealing juxtapositions, the course of artistic development from ancient and medieval times, through the Renaissance, to contemporary art. -- from dust jacket. |
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | 6 |
THE THREE STAGES OF ART | 39 |
ART KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENCE | 145 |
Copyright | |
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abstract according to Piaget Art and Illusion art history artistic development BARRY LE VA CARL ANDRE child Child's Conception cognitive development cognitive structures Conception of Space Conceptual Art concrete construction continuous coordination Cubism cultural DAN FLAVIN developmental elements emergence Epistemology Euclidean evolution exist experience external fact figures forms FRANK STELLA function geometry Gestalt Gombrich history of art idea intelligence interaction Jean Piaget KASIMIR MALEVICH knowledge Kuhn Lévi-Strauss logical Malevich mathematical means MEL BOCHNER ment mental mind modern art modes nature notion objects operations organization painting paradigm pattern perceived perception perspective Philosophy Photo pictorial picture plane point of view Popper possible principle problem progress Psychology reality relations Renaissance representation RICHARD SERRA ROBERT MANGOLD ROBERT RYMAN schema and correction schemata scientific sense Sol LeWitt spatial stage styles theory things thinking thought tion topological transformations truth Untitled visual Wölfflin York and London