| Can art be of importance without meaning? Must | | | | like the classical, epic struggles of mythology, the |
| "good" art convey the zeitgeist of the times in which it | | | | ancient renditions of the history of the world, the |
| was created? Does "depth of meaning" correlate | | | | religious icons of every century, the struggles of |
| directly to "goodness" of art? | | | | mankind and every individual in mankind. These are |
| A definition of terms here would be of value but the | | | | wonderful meanings and certainly worthy of artistic |
| terms in question are so based on individual and | | | | depiction. |
| subjective opinion that the defintions would be | | | | Now consider the meaning of a man/woman who |
| questioned. | | | | struggles to create pure beauty. The artist. The artist |
| Abstract painting, particulary the nonobjective painting | | | | who wants to create not only "high art" but does so |
| of many artists since the 1940s is arguably devoid of | | | | without the tools of religious thought, without the maps |
| meaning. In fact many artists want it that way. They | | | | of cultural revolutions, without the applause of an |
| prefer to see purely compositional factors, the tenets | | | | informed and socially motivated political movement, |
| of design as the measure of their works. Does this | | | | without the traditions of a craftsmens guild. Consider |
| relegate them to the level of design, not truly "high art." | | | | this courageous individual. |
| Abstract paintings can do two things. 1) They can | | | | These individuals not only attempt real, although only |
| ascend to the highest level of design, and 2) they may | | | | mortal, creation at its highest level - they do so in a |
| transcend it to "high art." Just as Kurt Schwitters paper | | | | unique and hardwon individual style. In addition, their |
| snips transcend the craft of hobbyists cutting paper, | | | | work is meant to free, enhance and amplify your |
| and Joseph Cornell's boxes transcend the craft of | | | | perception of art and beauty in all of its mysterious |
| cabinet makers or box designers - so can an abstract | | | | manifestations. |
| paintings transcend design. | | | | That "is" meaning. You can witness this meaning in its |
| The criteria of meaning needs some discussion in my | | | | visual record of each abstract painting. No, not every |
| opinion. The "meanings" that some narrow-sighted | | | | painting is a masterpiece - and it can't fall back on |
| critics refer to as being the paramount criterion of "high | | | | cliche' or a social nomenclature. It stands as a |
| art" revolve around historic, philosophic, and religious | | | | testament to a real struggle to push something to the |
| dimensions. These meanings purportedly reflect the | | | | highest level of art with no help from all the other |
| highest ideals and aspirations of man and god(God?). | | | | "manifold meaning packages" that were the reason for |
| I appreciate meanings as much as the next person. I | | | | art in previous centuries. |