Art as a way of reading history!
Studying art today; which outside of religion is my favorite meditation:
Love how ideas and art work in tandem!
I wrote down in an old journal what one of my old art teachers told me about reading history through art:
“Art movements like philosophies, overlap and lap or sometimes clash against one another, but no movement is not in a conversation of all that came before them. When looking at art, ask what is its context in that dialogue.
What are the core philosophies it is trying to express from its era, and where did it break new ground.” My art teacher once said in viewing history through the arts, which is one of my favorite ways to read history!
The other thing, that teacher taught me is to always look at the whole body of an artist’s work to understand what they were exploring. Someone like Mondrian, Kandinsky or Paul Klee require you to behold their whole ouveur (sorry my French sucks)or body of work, to see their original questions and where they arrived by the end. It’s the same with the Abstract expressionist, which I’ve been scuba diving into recently….
Today, in my on line 20th C art class, we went from the Fauves to Abstract Expressionism (early 20th C to end of the 60’s-good range of context for what we see coming out today!) I also like Neo-expressionism-like Anselm Kiefer, who really crossed through many “movements’ of art with originality, or singularity-as most of my favorites did and do!
We covered the large terrain in one class, my imagination is dizzy, but the words of my old art teacher, helped. Look at the core philosophies trying to be symbolize through the art, and see how the movements influence or react to one another. And take the time to look at the whole body an artist’s work to see their progression, and where their quest-ions led them. Enjoying studying what I love regardless. And art is a great way to read history!
Art has never been just decoration for me, it has always been a way of seeing and interpreting the world, and beyond.
Now to overlay the religious history on top of this one, so I get a more nuanced view of the 20th Century!