It is not the explanation that reveals the essence it is the work that art does - the essence is objective - our interpretation of it is subjective - the work of art as a knowing reveals itself over time - what the work knows can not be known all at once - this is its essence - the fact that we are willing to make van gogh's work exemplary is part of its revealing - that we are willing to return to it over a 150 years and seek some understanding through it is part of its essence - the shoes are not part of its essence - when will you stop being so literal - this is philosophy - this is about the love of understanding - understanding is not always explanatory - and is always already asymmetrical in its economy
On 4/13/09 9:01 AM, "Chris Miller" <[email protected]> wrote: >Wrong again pretty boy - it is the essence that is the identifable thing (Saul) If that were so, then the artist would only need to present something which we could identify in order to unconceal its essence. Regarding a pair of peasant's shoes, a quick polaroid would do the trick -- no Van Gogh is required. But, come to think of it, Heidegger's explanation of Van Gogh's shoes could just as easily be applied to any quick, cheap, disposable image. So, I suppose Saul is right. According to Heidegger "it is the essence that is the identifiable thing". (which is why Heidegger's thinking is so confused) > "our hypothetical artist looks at a chair and draws a single quivering line - that sums up the essence of the being of things in general and the object they were looking at in specific." (Saul) But in order to identify a hypothetical scribbler as an artist, don't we first need to identify the specific object whose essence he is unconcealing ? Does Heidegger ever suggest that an artist can "sum up the essence of the being of things in general" without unconcealing something specific? (whether its the shoes of a peasant or the god in a temple). ____________________________________________ Saul Ostrow | Visual Arts & Technologies Environment Chair, Sculpture Voice: 216-421-7927 | [email protected] | www.cia.edu<http://www.cia.edu/> The Cleveland Institute of Art | 11141 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106 ____________________________________________________________ Click here for free information on how to become certified as a project management professional. http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/fc/BLSrjnxZ9l0iTmjEMz29yODXMFzYZl YSwIyl3GURXNpfkMq5A5IlJZjMgMo/ --
