GardenBanter.co.uk - [IBC] Perspectives?

I owe an apology - forthcoming:

From the writings in 1951 of Campbell Crockett: (admired for his scholarship in aesthetics -snipped considerably.

" -the word art denotes a unique historical phenomenon - an aggregate of diverse and heterogeneous activities and objects.
- I am asserting that historical perspective is indispensible to the discernment of patterns."

(taken from a Teachers' Resource textbook), on a website, too

The work Crockett was involved in,- aesthetics, called the science of art because it attempts to define and maintain coherent patterns so that we can exchange thought with some underlying coherency and stability. (Philosophy of art concerns more i
n the expressive area.)

Coherency in art needs patterns.

My apology is for having written in my post recently that the thread was not indicative of the present state of art - I am not myself on top of it though I take the journals, etc. It can just be tiresome after so much.

What we can do is discern patterns among the arts we are acquainted with and make the judgments we need to work with through these compared patterns., keeping in mind that while we are doing this the rest of the world is doing so, also, within its cul
turally established traditions. We are all trying to establish patterns that provide a stable and coherent system of communication and for act ing upon, too. The effect is far-reaching, language constructions, interacting cultures, commerce, etc.

We easily pick up what our Italian and German friends are thinking in the way of patterning - they are of the Western art tradition, too. Then when we try to combine this with the Asian it becomes a little more thoughtful. - which reminds me of
a situation :

Some years ago one of our first ladies visited Russia. Somehow she would not accept the wonderful old paintings, icons we called them, as being equal to our paintings and made a statement which caused a lot of concern. Her sad conceit from
lack of knowing a likeness between our two creations caused an awareness I will never forget , not to mention the political eruption. Deeper thought would find that when it is looked at closely there is a pattern of similarity in the value of the icon fu
nction with the expressiveness, or pull of emotional reaction, in the Pieta or Sistine Chapel. But, - they look so different, such difference of technique. The function though - ? Ah.
Makes one wonder - is it the function, or is it the technique that creates the category,
But that is aside - it was a lesson.

It takes time and study each time this face to face question occurs. And a long time as there are changes occuring in the life of each. A pattern of coherency needs frequent questioning. These patterns are why it can be said that aesthetics are the scie
nce of art.

I noted Chris Cochrane's mention of Walter Pall in discussing his subject, and that helps me recall the pattern set up by Walter not so long ago that caused a fuss when he used categories of painting techniques to establish a coherency for defi
ning evolving styles in bonsai. It is these attempts to be coherent in our language and categorizing that cause misunderstanding and reactions often. Walter recognized a pattern he hoped would help.

Changes take time to prove themselves. Not everyone thinks that we need a coherent structure to communicate, to judge, to enjoy fully, but in our cross-planet communication now I think we will see more need to relate to other cultures through thei
r use. They aren't going away - they are part of logic and rationality.

We are suffering a pattern change with this bonsai /art question. In the meantime I feel no despair over our occasional volcanic outbursts.,:) but do admire those with some suave control ;) People Care !- that is important.

Lynn

Lynn Boyd, Oregon, USA

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