Summary:
This paper explores Agamben's exploration of the crisis of contemporary art, and analyzes the significance of his views for the development of contemporary art and art ontology. Agamben believes that art, as an expression of thought and spirit, should penetrate into all areas of human life and pay attention to human emotions and spiritual pursuits. At the same time, he emphasized the importance and inheritance of ancient skills, and believed that ancient skills contain rich cultural connotations, which are worthy of re-examination and excavation by contemporary artists. This viewpoint challenges the traditional concept of art ontology, and provides new ideas and paradigms for the development of contemporary art and the construction of art ontology.
I. Introduction
Art is an important part of human civilization, which has evolved over the millennium, carrying the inheritance and expression of culture, history, emotions and ideas. However, the emergence of ready-made objects and pop art in the 20th century has brought great impact and challenges to traditional art concepts. In this context, art is no longer limited to traditional forms such as painting, sculpture or music, but has begun to set foot in a wider and diverse field, and even presents everyday objects in life as works of art, breaking people's inherent perception of art in the past.
With the development of modern society, people's needs and understanding of art are constantly changing. The traditional art viewing mode is gradually unable to meet the diverse needs of contemporary society, and the audience hopes to experience the charm of art in a more intuitive and realistic way. Therefore, artists are constantly exploring new forms of expression and artistic language, trying to reflect the characteristics and spiritual outlook of modern society in their artistic creation. However, this exploration also brings a challenge to traditional artistic values, triggering deep thinking in the art world about the nature and definition of art.
II. Agamben's Crisis View of Contemporary Art
A. The division between the artist and the viewer
The split between the artist and the viewer is one of the important problems facing contemporary art. Traditionally, the artist is seen as the creator, whose work is the product of his inner world and emotional expression, and the viewer is seen as the recipient and appreciator of the work. However, in contemporary society, this traditional mode of art creation and appreciation has gradually become ineffective, and communication and understanding between artists and viewers have become more and more difficult.
On the one hand, artists' motivations and intentions often do not correspond to the audience's aesthetic needs and cultural background. The artist may try to express his thoughts and emotions through difficult and obscure forms and symbols, and the audience has difficulty understanding and accepting this expression. On the other hand, the audience's interpretation and evaluation of a work of art is often influenced by personal experience, cultural background and aesthetic preferences, resulting in different audiences having different understandings and evaluations of the same work, which further exacerbates the gap between the artist and the audience.
The division between artists and viewers not only affects the creation and dissemination of artworks, but also reflects the diversity and differentiation of contemporary society's cognition and understanding of art. In the face of this problem, artists need to pay more attention to the needs and feedback of the audience, and pay attention to the communication and interaction between the works and the audience, so as to promote the integration and development of artistic creation and appreciation.
B. The division between good and bad tastes
The split between good and bad tastes is an important phenomenon in the contemporary art world. Traditionally, the value and quality of a work of art has been judged and established by experts and authorities, while the viewer passively accepts these evaluation criteria. However, in contemporary society, with the popularization of information technology and the strengthening of cultural exchanges, the audience's evaluation criteria for art are becoming more and more diversified and individualized, and the boundaries between good taste and bad taste are becoming more and more blurred.
On the one hand, the traditional art evaluation standards can no longer meet the diverse aesthetic needs of contemporary society. The audience wants to judge the value of the artwork through their own feelings and experiences, and is no longer limited to the evaluation of experts and the recognition of authority. On the other hand, the rise of popular culture and the influence of popular art have made the traditional art world face challenges from the aesthetic taste of the public, and the conflict and opposition between traditional artworks and popular culture have become increasingly prominent.
The division between good taste and bad taste not only reflects the pluralism and differentiation of art evaluation standards in contemporary society, but also implies the collapse and reconstruction of traditional art concepts. In the face of this phenomenon, artists need to be more open and inclusive to the aesthetic needs and evaluation standards of the audience, and constantly explore new artistic languages and forms of expression to adapt to the diversified aesthetic trends of contemporary society.
C. The division of art form and content
The division between art form and content is an important problem facing contemporary art creation. Traditionally, art form and content are unified and complementary to each other, the form of a work of art is the carrier of its inner meaning and emotional expression, and the artistic content is presented and conveyed through the expression of form. However, in contemporary society, the relationship between art form and content is becoming more and more blurred, and there is a lack of unified expression between the external form and the inner meaning of the work.
On the one hand, the pursuit of form in artistic creation often sacrifices the depth and connotation of content, and although the external expression of the work is impressive, it lacks the internal ideological and emotional support, resulting in the emptiness and superficiality of the work. On the other hand, the pursuit of content in artistic creation often ignores the expression of form, and although the inner meaning of the work is rich and profound, the form of expression is single and mediocre, which is difficult to arouse the resonance and emotional resonance of the audience.
III. Exploring the Root Causes of the Crisis in Art
A. Tracing the etymology of art
To understand the crisis facing contemporary art, it is first necessary to review the original meaning and evolution of the word art. The word art is derived from the Latin word "ars", which means skill, technique, or technique. Originally, art was closely related to the arts and crafts, with an emphasis on the use of skills and techniques. During the ancient Greek period, art was gradually given a broader meaning, including not only handicraft arts, but also expression and creation in the form of poetry, music, dance, etc. During the Renaissance, art placed more emphasis on the pursuit of beauty and the expression of the spiritual realm, and became an important part of human civilization.
However, with the development of modern society, the meaning of the word art has gradually changed. In the context of industrialization and informatization, art is no longer just the expression of handicraft art or beauty, but covers a wider and diverse form and content. Art is no longer limited to traditional painting, sculpture and music, but also includes new art forms such as film, photography, performance art, and digital art. The concept of art has become more and more blurred, and the form and content of works of art have also taken on the characteristics of diversity and complexity.
This expansion and diversification of the concept of art has made people's understanding and evaluation criteria of art more and more subjective and diverse. Everyone can interpret and evaluate a work of art based on their own experience and feelings, and the meaning and significance of art also vary from person to person. On the one hand, this pluralistic concept of art enriches the form and content of art, but on the other hand, it also brings challenges and crises to the art world.
B. Loss of the nature of production
Another important issue facing contemporary art is the loss of the nature of production. Traditionally, works of art are made or created by artists by hand, with a strong sense of individuality and creativity. However, in contemporary society, with the development of science and technology and industry, the production mode of works of art has undergone fundamental changes, and the traditional handicraft has gradually been replaced by mechanization and industrialization, and the production nature of works of art has gradually been lost.
On the one hand, the development of technology and industry has made the production of works of art more and more convenient and efficient, and artists can use digital technology and industrial equipment to create and produce, which has greatly improved the production efficiency and output of works. On the other hand, the intervention of science and technology and industry has also brought about the standardization and popularization of works of art, the individuality and creativity of works of art have gradually been lost, and the quality and level of works have been difficult to guarantee.
IV. The impact of "readymade" and pop art
A. Subversion of traditional notions of art
The traditional concept of art emphasizes the uniqueness and originality of a work of art, and regards the artist as a creator and a source of inspiration. However, since the mid-20th century, some artists have begun to challenge this conventional notion by treating the ready-made objects of everyday life as works of art and displaying them in galleries and exhibition galleries. This practice subverts the traditional notion of art and makes people re-examine the definition and meaning of art.
In The Aesthetic Dimension of Consumer Society, Marcuse put forward the concept of "the integration of modern art and daily life", emphasizing that art should be close to people's daily life, and penetrate and influence each other. By treating the ready-made object as a work of art, the artist tries to break the boundary between art and life, placing art in the context of everyday life, making it a part of people's lives. For example, Duchamp's "Inverted Fountain" places an ordinary urinal in an exhibition hall, provoking new thinking about art and challenging the limitations of traditional notions of art.
B. Attempts to unify the demands of industrial production and the arts
Pop Art is an art movement that emerged in the United States in the 60s of the 20th century, advocating the integration of mass culture and consumer goods into artistic creation, aiming to reflect the consumerist society and mass culture phenomenon at that time. Pop artists tried to challenge the aesthetic standards of traditional art through imitation and exaggeration, combining popular culture with high art, and realizing the unity of industrial production and artistic creation.
For example, Andy Warhol used celebrities, goods, and advertisements in popular culture as the objects of creation, and used industrial production techniques such as screen printing to reproduce and produce works of art in large quantities, closely linking art with popular culture. This approach not only subverts the traditional concept of art, but also challenges the independence and originality of art, and provokes people to think about the relationship between art and commerce, art and popular culture.
However, the rise of Pop Art has also raised questions about the commercialization and popularization of art. Some critics believe that the commercialization of Pop Art has affected the originality and quality of artworks, and that art has gradually been reduced to a commodity and a tool of entertainment, losing its independence and spiritual connotation. At the same time, the popularization of pop art has also led to the deep integration of art and consumer culture, which has led to a decline in people's awareness and appreciation of art, and the value and significance of artworks have become blurred.
V. Agamben's unique research perspective
A. Rethinking the question of the nature of art
Through his unique research perspective, Agamben re-examines the question of the nature of art, challenging traditional notions of art and proposing a series of new perspectives and insights. In his view, art is not only a reflection of reality or the pursuit of beauty, but also an expression and exploration of thought and spirit. Artists should not only be craftsmen or creators of beauty, but also observers of society and leaders of thought.
Agamben believes that one of the main problems faced by contemporary art is the loss of attention to the spiritual connotation of human beings, the excessive pursuit of form and technique, and the neglect of reflection and expression of human nature, social reality and historical destiny. He advocated that artists should return to the essence and foundation of human life, pay attention to the inner world, emotional experience and spiritual pursuit of human beings, express the common emotions and ideas of human beings through artworks, and arouse people's thinking about life and existence.
In Agamben's view, the essence of art lies in its close connection with human life, and artists should go deep into all fields of human life, observe and record the details of life, and express the living conditions and spiritual outlook of human beings. Art should not be confined to specific forms and styles, but should be diverse and open-ended, allowing artists of different cultures, nationalities, and eras to express their thoughts and emotions in their own unique ways.
B. Claims for the recovery of ancient skills
Another focus of Agambon's research is the search for the recovery of ancient techniques. In his view, contemporary art pays too much attention to the innovation of technology and form, and ignores the inheritance and development of ancient skills. He believes that ancient techniques contain rich cultural connotations and historical accumulations, which are worthy of re-examination and excavation by contemporary artists.
Agamben advocated that contemporary artists should attach importance to the traditions and techniques of ancient techniques, learn and absorb the creative methods and experiences of ancient artists, and integrate them into contemporary art creation. He believes that ancient skills are not only a technique or craft, but also a cultural tradition and historical memory, and that through learning and inheriting ancient skills, artists can better understand and grasp the development of human civilization and explore the deep connotation of the human spiritual world.
At the same time, Agamben also called on social and cultural institutions to strengthen the protection and inheritance of ancient skills, establish relevant research institutions and training programs, and promote the effective inheritance and development of the traditions and techniques of ancient skills. He believes that only through the re-understanding and development of ancient techniques can contemporary art find its own foundation and direction, and achieve dialogue and communion with human civilization.
VI. Conclusion
Agamben's research has provided important enlightenment for the development of contemporary art, and his views and insights have far-reaching significance for the development of contemporary artists and the art world.
First, Agamben's research emphasizes the intimate relationship between art and human life. He believes that art should be the observation and expression of human life, and artists should go deep into all fields of life, paying attention to the inner world, emotional experience and spiritual pursuit of human beings. This point of view suggests that contemporary artists should return to the essence of human life, draw creative inspiration from life, pay attention to people's emotions and thoughts, express the common ideas and emotions of human beings through artworks, and arouse people's thinking about life and existence. Therefore, contemporary artists should actively devote themselves to all aspects of human life, observe and record the details of life, express the living conditions and spiritual outlook of human beings, and inject more humanistic care and emotional warmth into contemporary art.
Secondly, Agamben emphasized the importance and inheritance of ancient skills. He believes that ancient techniques contain rich cultural connotations and historical accumulations, which are worthy of re-examination and excavation by contemporary artists. This viewpoint reminds contemporary artists to pay attention to the traditions and techniques of ancient techniques, learn and absorb the creative methods and experiences of ancient artists, and integrate them into contemporary art creation. Through the inheritance and development of ancient skills, contemporary artists can better understand and grasp the development of human civilization, explore the deep connotation of the human spiritual world, and provide a more solid foundation and support for the innovation and development of art.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Kuspit, Donald. The End of Art. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
Rancière, Jacques. The Emancipated Spectator. Verso, 2009.
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