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Lecture 3 - Art and Expression

The document discusses various theories of art, focusing on expression theories. It explains that expression theories view art as expressing the emotions of the artist. During the 18th century, art began exploring subjective experiences and the "inner world" of feelings. Romanticism valued self and individual experiences, presenting the world from an emotional perspective. Expression theories maintain that art expresses emotions and brings feelings to the surface. However, expression theories have limitations, as not all art is expressive and attributing emotions can be subjective. The document explores related concepts like exemplification, metaphor, and the differences between expression, communication and art.

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97 views

Lecture 3 - Art and Expression

The document discusses various theories of art, focusing on expression theories. It explains that expression theories view art as expressing the emotions of the artist. During the 18th century, art began exploring subjective experiences and the "inner world" of feelings. Romanticism valued self and individual experiences, presenting the world from an emotional perspective. Expression theories maintain that art expresses emotions and brings feelings to the surface. However, expression theories have limitations, as not all art is expressive and attributing emotions can be subjective. The document explores related concepts like exemplification, metaphor, and the differences between expression, communication and art.

Uploaded by

qwerty
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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philosophy of the arts

Art and Expression


It is frequently said that what matters in art
is emotion, both the feeling of the artist and
the emotional impact of a work on its
audience.
Gordon Graham
Art as Expression
For centuries, representation has been a central
defining feature of art.
Outward aspects of things/objective features of the
“external” world – look of objects and the actions of
humans.
18 century Western world – in theory and practice,
began to turn inward.
Exploring their own subjective experiences – reactions,
they way the felt, “inner” world of experience.
Romanticism
Wordsworth maintains that poetry “is the spontaneous
overflow of powerful feelings”.
Placed value on self and individual experiences – when
contemplating some outward scene (no longer just
description), a stimulus for the poet to examine his/her own
emotional responses.
The world is presented from an emotional saturated point of
view – emotional perspective of the individual poet more
important than simply describing.
Inner subjective world.
Profoundly influenced the course of subsequent art.
Gave birth to German expressionism, modern dance, etc.
History of Ideas - Romanticism
View:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiRWBI0JTYQ
Expression Theory of Art
“Expression” – from Latin word “pressing outward”.
Many still think it is the best characterisation of the nature
of art. What do you think?
Representational theories of art treat artists like scientist –
describing the external world/mirror to nature.
Art specialised in the expression of emotions was attractive
– explore the inner world of feeling/mirror to self and
experiences.
At the root, all expression theories maintain that
something is art only if it expresses emotions.
Art – bringing feelings to the surface.
Expression as a form of communication. Emotional state
is externalised. But is all communication art? What is the
difference between communication and art?
 Is hate-speech art?
 Can/should an angry letter from a lover after a breakup be
considered art?
 What about greeting cards that express emotions? Generic?
Artist’s attitudes, feelings, emotions, and/or point of view
toward his subject. “Tasted the flavour of the emotion” of
the artist and for others as well.
Inclusive but is it not accurate enough?
Transmission Theory
x is a work of art if and only if x is
(1) an intended
(2) transmission to an audience
(3) of the self-same (type-identical)
(4) individualised
(5) feeling state (emotion)
(6) that the artist experienced (himself/herself)
(7) and clarified
(8) by means of lines, shapes, colours, sounds, actions and/or words.
“solo expression theory of art” included if (2) is dropped; e.g. Franz Kafka and
Emily Dickinson did not want their work disseminated publicly.
More applicable to music (and superior/comprehensive) than
representational theory.
 Art makes discoveries about emotions.
Theories of Expression
If not all art is expressive, much art is.
Contrast to representation – how valid is expression?
Anthropomorphic properties – emotional tones, moods,
emotively coloured attitudes (artwork expresses joy/courage).
Should we differentiate communication, expression and art?
How and what are the differences?
What is the difference between expressive qualities,
psychological/mental states and physiognomic features
(weeping willow)? Are they so neatly categorised? Do they
overlap?
Sincerity condition – truth, personal vision.
Arousal condition – express x, audience feeling y.
Expression, Exemplification and
Metaphor
Exemplification – common form of symbolism; because art is
not sentient (but is it so simple?).
Domain of exemplification is properties (qualities) vs domain
of representation is persons, places, things, events and objects.
A requisite of exemplification is that it must be selected and
displayed (since it is in the symbolic realm).
Exemplification always refer/exemplify something.
Exemplification always possess qualities (usually
anthropomorphic properties).
When expression becomes exemplification (metaphorical
reference/possession) = metaphorical exemplification.
Metaphor
Application of a name or category.
Descriptive term or phrase to something, e.g. King Richard, the
Lion-Hearted (literally false, impossible).
Involves transfer of one set of labels from an indigenous field to
an alien field, e.g. animal biology to alien field of human
character traits (singer’s style is hot, the commissar is cold;
Venus is to Jupiter as the Indian Ocean is to the Pacific Ocean).
Homology – state of having same/similar relation, relative
position, or structure/pattern.
Labels – arbitrary
Scheme – will follow a system, e.g. temperature: hot, cold, etc.
(less arbitrary)
Limitations
Is it sufficient attributing expressive properties to artworks? What
about art that is preoccupied with ideas, perceptual pleasure?
Complex emotional property (such as Un Chien Andalou).
Appropriateness of expressive properties assigned – arbitrary and
subjective.
Difficulty in putting constraints.
Is it always metaphorical? Literal and metaphorical are often
blurred (physiognomic features expressive of psychological states
or traits); even though art is not a sentient being, e.g. characters
of a film; art/films showing psychological states, POV (films,
poems)?
Is representation and expression so clearly defined?
Questions
What is the expression theory of art? What is its significance? What
are its limitations?
Which do you think is a more sound theory of the arts?
Representational or expression theory of the art? Why?
What are the problems, issues and limitations of each of these
theories?
Is there a theory that can encompass everything? That has no
issue(s) or limitation(s)? What would this theory be?
Please read:
Noël Carroll. (London: Routledge, 2000) Philosophy of Art: A
Contemporary Introduction. Chapter 2: Art and Expression, pp. 58-106.
Gordon Graham. (London: Routledge, 2005) Philosophy of the Arts.
Chapter 3: Art and Emotion, pp. 31-51.

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