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powerpoint 2b. concerning the spiritual in art Wassily Kandinsky and the abstract. wassily kandinsky. wassily kandinsky b. 1866 – d. 1944 Russian painter, art theorist and teacher at Bauhaus School of Art and Architecture credited with creating the first modern, abstract works of art
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powerpoint 2b concerning the spiritual in art Wassily Kandinsky and the abstract
wassilykandinsky • wassilykandinsky • b. 1866 – d. 1944 • Russian painter, art theorist and teacher at Bauhaus School of Art and Architecture • credited with creating the first modern, abstract works of art • consistently pursued inner beauty and the fervor of spirit in his works • artistic and spiritual theoretician • theorized that the artist was the prophet of the era and would bring Apocalyptic ends to society, allowing it to be reborn • much of his later work reflects this as he continually pushes the boundary of subject matter and form • his work is then a metaphor for the change that he thought the artist could bring to the culture • wrote treatises on his theories • Concerning the Spiritual in Art • Point, Line and Plane
concerning the spiritual • about general aesthetic • works of art reflect the era in which they are produced • the imitation of nature limits the artist and prevents him from expressing or experiencing subtler emotions • art deep in spirit and emotion has the power of prophetic strength; this kind of art relies on intrinsic value, beauty and purpose • the relationship of art and society • for Kandinsky, art is more than just representations on the page; art objects have a life of their own • Kandinsky believes that art which simply recreates what has already been done is “still-born” • that is art must progress, as society progresses for art must be a reflection of its own era • if it is a reflection of past eras, it is stifled Kandinsky, Wassily. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc, 1977.
concerning the spiritual • the movement of the triangle • a triangle moves on its own, because of its narrowing shape and its leading lines, the viewer’s eyes travel from the base to the tip • this kind of movement, although a simple effect of optics, is also spiritual; Kandinsky sees this as one of the powers of the visual language and of the artist • the artist can employ such things to communicate and interact with the viewer at impossible distances of space and time; and as such the artist is prophet-like • the triangle is a metaphor for society • if we divide the triangle into horizontal segments those portions near the base are stuck in the past-generation whereas those segments near the top are moving towards the new era • Kandinsky believes the artist, alone, has the ability to bring the society into the next era (beyond the tip of the triangle) • the artist can do this, because the artist can push the accepted boundaries which many in the lower segments will not appreciate but forward-thinkers will Kandinsky, Wassily. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc, 1977.
concerning the spiritual • why the artist? • Kandinsky looks through history and sees that the shaman continues to push the society and teach the group • Kandinsky sees the artist as the modern-era’s shaman because the artist constantly seeks success and notoriety • the spiritual revolution • by seeking to share with others and always trying to develop novel ideas and concepts, the artist inherently pushes the society forward • he is able to do this because like the shaman, the artist knows a secret language which transcends – the visual language • inner life instead of the outside world • the creative spirit is most free when it expresses inner emotions, personal ideas and creativity • Kandinsky sees the blend of music, painting, and theater as a way of moving art into a new era • in his own work we can see musical and dramatic influences on his paintings’ rhythm and movement • this is how he represents the subtler emotions Kandinsky, Wassily. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc, 1977.
the visual language • psychological working of color • Kandinsky explored synesthesia (though he did not term it as such) • this is the simultaneous trigger of two different senses from a single stimulus • for example, feeling warm when looking at something red • Kandinsky recognized that certain colors inspired certain feelings of temperature, mood and sound • Kandinsky paired colors with musical sounds (both note and timbre) so that dark blues were similar to bassoons or clarinets playing low notes, while vibrant yellows were similar to the high-pitched notes of flutes • this was yet another way the artist could communicate with the viewer in a transcendental manner • the language of form and color • the painter has two grammars: form and color • shapes, forms, space and the other elements serve as symbols to communicate ideas • while color through its intensity, temperature and mood can convey emotions • when used together a yellow triangle can symbolize one thing whereas a blue circle might symbolize something totally different and when placed together, a whole new meaning can be derived Kandinsky, Wassily. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc, 1977.
the duty of the artist • “the artist must have something to say” • the artist has triple responsibility to the non-artist: • repay his talent which he has • use his ability to create to produce an atmosphere of either purity or poison (the former being ideal) • and influence the atmosphere of the society • how the artist speaks • Simple compositions of pure form and color are considered melodic • complex compositions which create interplay between the elements and principles are considered symphonic • kandinsky’s work • Kandinsky developed various art-forms which he termed: impressions, improvisations and compositions • each of these moved from the melodic to the symphonic, yet always maintained their abstract form • Impressions were inspired by nature • Improvisations were spontaneous expressions • Compositions were the expression of slowly formed, inner feelings Kandinsky, Wassily. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc, 1977.
things to ponder… • the language of creativity • it is sometimes difficult to separate Kandinsky’s artistic theories from those of his spiritual life • yet, we can see that Kandinsky thought of the elements and principles as a means of communicating • and he felt this form of communication was sacred because of its incredible power – what other language can communicate to any culture or any time period? • learning the language • as you understand the different “grammatical rules” of art, through the elements and principles, can you experience or explain synesthesia? • do you feel Kandinsky communicated better using art (his impressions, improvisations and compositions) or his treatises?
