Art as Expression

For centuries, representation was taken to be the central, defining feature of art.

The emphasis of Representation theories of art was on the outward aspects of things.

In a loose sense of the word, art was primarily concerned with the objective features of the “external” world.

By the mid 19^th century, artists began to turn inward; they explored their own subjective experiences. Even while depicting landscapes (external realities) they attempted to register their reactions - the way they felt - about the landscapes. (they were not just mirroring nature)

Artists were becoming more attentive to the subjective or “inner” world of experience.

That gives birth to a new art theory, “Art as Expression”.

Study the PDF below

(to be used for educational purposes only)

Art as Expression PDF

Impressionism, though its an independent art movement, expressed more of the impressions of the passing moment and qualities of light as seen by subjective artists. We can see the beginning of art as expression here.

The clarity about art as expression was brought about by the expressionism artists themselves. The most outstanding artist is Edvard Munch. His artworks, like The Sick Child, The Scream etc. are samples for the same.

The Scream, by Edvard Munch

Expression comes from the Latin word, meaning, ‘to press outward’. Here art is essentially involved in bringing feelings to the surface, bringing them outward where they can be perceived by artists and audiences alike.

But are all expressions art?

Consider the following scenarios,

Expression is a form of communication, in fact every communication is expression. So is every communication ART?

Suppose I am very dejected; I’ve just lost my job. I am weeping. You see me and from my manner of speaking, catch some of my sadness. You start to think about losing your own job. You too begin to feel sad. Is this event a ‘work of art’?

Suppose that a painter is given an eviction notice by the landlord. He, in anger, takes a can of red paint and throws at the landlord. He dodges and the can of paint splatters on the wall, making an image. Is that a piece of ART?

The theorists of Art as Expression clarifies that if something to be a Work of Art it must have,

1. Feeling state

The artist must have some feeling or emotion.

She/he may have gone through experiences.

Or she/he feels it towards a landscape, or an event, like a military victory.

The artist must experience some emotional state.

2. Intended

By weeping I don’t intend to make an artwork.

I am upset, but it is not my intention to transfer that feeling to others.

Nor is it my intention to make a piece of art.

Artist wants to get her/his feelings out in the open where everyone, including herself, can contemplate them.

3. Clarified

An artist examines her/his emotions; it is not simply that she is possessed by them. She/he examines it.

For the artist, her/his emotional state is like the sitter who poses for a portrait. She struggles to find its texture and its contour.

Making a work of art is not a matter of exploding, venting or ranting; emotions has to be clarified.

This is a controlled activity, not an outburst.

4. Externalised

The artist brings the emotion outside of herself/himself, so to speak - by trying to find some configuration of lines, shapes, colors, sounds, actions, and/or words that are appropriate to or that “match” that feeling.

Art is a public affair. An artwork cannot exist entirely inside someone’s head.

Art must be embodied in some publicly accessible medium

5. Shared Feeling state with audience

These configurations stimulate the same kind of emotional state in the audience

The expression theory of art is also called as The Transmission Theory of Art .

It is because the clarified emotion is communicated/transmitted to an audience. Another version of the expression theory drops this requirement, allowing that something is an artwork as long as it involves the clarification of an emotion, and making an art out of it. It may not be for public consumption. This is called Solo Expression Theory of Art.

Artists like Max Beckmann and Käthe Kollwitz have gone beyond from my feeling state to our feeling state. They expressed strongly on heartbreaking political happenings and social evils. Beckmann was terrified by the horror of war. Käthe Kollwitz was emotionally connected with the weavers movement and farmers movement.

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