The relationship between two aspects that entail human involvement has always been a subject of philosophical discussions between experts in the respective fields and philosophers. Similarly, individuals’ perspectives can be interpreted and discussed based on certain philosophical school of thoughts that may seek to challenge or assert the claims that are being perpetuated (Halsall, Jansen, and O'Connor 2009, p.5). The impact of aesthetics on art is an example of discourse involving artists of different styles and periods of painting( Kester 2004, p. 13). The relevance of aesthetics to the visual artists has consequently been a subject of discourse with some claims that the aspect is no longer important given the less attention given by the artists. Barnett Newman’s comment: ‘Aesthetics is for art what ornithology is for the birds is an example of the changing emphasis of the role of aesthetics in art. This essay responds to Newman’s claim based on Immanuel Kant's philosophy.
Philosophical Interpretation of Art and Aesthetics
The discussion on aesthetics and art is important in the evaluation of the elements that can be considered valuable or appealing to the consumers of the various works of art (Mattick1993, p. 254). Furthermore, the discourse should entail the broad purposes for which the artistic pieces are intended. The first category of the purpose of the arts relates to the need to document certain aspects of culture and lifestyles of interest to the artist. Secondly, the artworks may be produced for the purpose of decorating a place such as ornaments, statues, and murals that are displayed in spaces occupied by people. Consequently, the decorative arts should be made to enhance their visual appeal (Goldman 2018, p. 20). In the third, case, some pieces of art can be both visually appealing while depicting the specific value and meaning intended by the artist.
Barnett Newman was one of the most influential artists who mastered and perpetuated the style of abstract expressionism as related to the primitive unconscious and myth. Newman’s works are different from other gestural abstractions because they demonstrate huge fields of colour and trademark "zips” as well as devising an approach that avoided the conventional opposition between the ground and figure (Edgar and Sedgwick 2005, P. 12). The zip symbol is intended to invoke the viewer to acquire the necessary stimulation of the artistic experience. Some of the beliefs by Newman include the perception that the modern world had made the traditional art subjects and styles especially after the Second World War. Consequently, the artist posited that the traditional standards of beauty were no longer relevant. Other major thoughts of the artist include the belief that human beings had a primal urge to create with the individuals capable of observing the same expression observed in the ancient art to be visible in the modern pieces (Candy and Edmonds 2011, p. 6). The claim by Newman is that artists should not be concerned with aesthetics of their pieces since such impression is determined by the viewers and critics just like the birds are oblivious of the attempts by the scientists or ornithologists in studying their behaviour.
Immanuel Kant's philosophy has a significant influence on the Western philosophical thought as well as being perceived as a major element of the Modern Enlightenment while offering an important insight to the modernist ideal (Kant 2013, p. 4). The basic tenet of Kant’s philosophy is the perception that philosophy is a result of human reason that can be undertaken as a prior investigation or independently of the experience. Reason can be practical or theoretical or practical. Theoretical in the sense that it should allow for the conception of the way things are while the practical aspect relate to the manner in which phenomenon should be. Based on such aspects, philosophy can consequently be classified into two major branches of metaphysics and ethics. Metaphysics relates to the priori investigation of the nature of reality. On the other hand, ethics relate to the identification of the rules governing the manner in which beings with free will should make decisions regarding on what they should do. Most of Kant’s work attempt to address the issue of what people can know with the potential answer indicating that the human knowledge is constrained with mathematics (Guyer 2014, p. 15). The knowledge can therefore not be expanded to cover speculative metaphysics realm. One of the identified reasons for the constraints in knowledge is based on the fact that the mind plays a critical role in composing the aspects of experience and hence limiting the access to empirical realm of space and time. Kant contribution to ethics is based on the hypothesis that the primary characteristic that gives an act a moral worth is not the result of the action but the motives behind what is done by a person.
Based on the described Kant’s philosophical school of thought the significance of aesthetics to art as claimed by Newman can be assessed using both the concepts of metaphysics and ethics. Using Kant’s ethics, aesthetics in art may not contribute to any significant moral value as perceived by the viewers of an artistic piece but is based solely on the inspiration that is used by the artist to accomplish a particular task. In the artwork Guernica (1937) Pablo Piccasso expresses his feelings against war in which the artist symbolises the effect of the war by appealing to the viewers using the individuals who had been massacred (Martin 2012, p. 34). Guernica does not further provide a clear meaning or a historical specificity and is thus still relevant to the occurrence in the modern times without considering the visual impression of the piece on the viewers. The concept of metaphysics can be useful in the interpretation of the knowledge and the aesthetic experience as observed by the viewers. Aesthetic qualities are presented in the painting The Birth of Venus (1480) by Botticelli in which the artist seeks to demonstrate the beautiful human nature (Sorokowski 2010, p. 1427). The artist uses decorative aesthetics to demonstrate beauty standards as perceived by the human mind.
Conclusion
Newman’s quote on the significance of aesthetics in art can be evaluated using Kant’s philosophy on the observation of the primary concepts of metaphysics and ethics. Metaphysics relates to the constraints relating to knowledge as construed by the mind. Consequently, aesthetics may not be based on any artwork but on the conceptions of the viewers’ mind. On the other hand, ethics is related to the aspects of the moral value arising from the aesthetic qualities of the artworks. Based on the arguments Kant would support Newman’s perspective on aesthetics and art.
References
Candy, L. and Edmonds, E.A. eds., 2011. Interacting: art, research and the creative practitioner. Faringdon: Libri Publishing.
Edgar, A. and Sedgwick, P., 2005. Key concepts in cultural theory. Routledge.
Goldman, A., 2018. Aesthetic value. Routledge.
Guyer, P., 2014. Kant. Routledge.
Halsall, F., Jansen, J.A. and O'Connor, T., 2009. Rediscovering aesthetics: transdisciplinary voices from art history, philosophy, and art practice. Stanford University Press.
Kant, I., 2013. Moral Law: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Routledge.
Kester, G.H., 2004. Conversation pieces: Community and communication in modern art. Univ of California Press.
Martin, R., 2012. Picasso's War. Hol Art Books.
Mattick, P., 1993. Aesthetics and anti-aesthetics in the visual arts. The Journal of aesthetics and art criticism, 51(2), pp.253-259.
Sorokowski, P., 2010. Did Venus have long legs? Beauty standards from various historical periods reflected in works of art. Perception, 39(10), pp.1427-1430.
