Art as Expression

For centuries, representation was taken to be the central, defining feature of art.

The emphasis of Representation theories of art was on the outward aspects of things.

In a loose sense of the word, art was primarily concerned with the objective features of the “external” world.

By the mid 19^th century, artists began to turn inward; they explored their own subjective experiences. Even while depicting landscapes (external realities) they attempted to register their reactions - the way they felt - about the landscapes. (they were not just mirroring nature)

Artists were becoming more attentive to the subjective or “inner” world of experience.

That gives birth to a new art theory, “Art as Expression”.

Study the PDF below

(to be used for educational purposes only)

Art as Expression PDF

Impressionism, though its an independent art movement, expressed more of the impressions of the passing moment and qualities of light as seen by subjective artists. We can see the beginning of art as expression here.

The clarity about art as expression was brought about by the expressionism artists themselves. The most outstanding artist is Edvard Munch. His artworks, like The Sick Child, The Scream etc. are samples for the same.

The Scream, by Edvard Munch

Expression comes from the Latin word, meaning, ‘to press outward’. Here art is essentially involved in bringing feelings to the surface, bringing them outward where they can be perceived by artists and audiences alike.

But are all expressions art?

Consider the following scenarios,

Expression is a form of communication, in fact every communication is expression. So is every communication ART?

Suppose I am very dejected; I’ve just lost my job. I am weeping. You see me and from my manner of speaking, catch some of my sadness. You start to think about losing your own job. You too begin to feel sad. Is this event a ‘work of art’?

Suppose that a painter is given an eviction notice by the landlord. He, in anger, takes a can of red paint and throws at the landlord. He dodges and the can of paint splatters on the wall, making an image. Is that a piece of ART?

The theorists of Art as Expression clarifies that if something to be a Work of Art it must have,

1. Feeling state

The artist must have some feeling or emotion.

She/he may have gone through experiences.

Or she/he feels it towards a landscape, or an event, like a military victory.

The artist must experience some emotional state.

2. Intended

By weeping I don’t intend to make an artwork.

I am upset, but it is not my intention to transfer that feeling to others.

Nor is it my intention to make a piece of art.

Artist wants to get her/his feelings out in the open where everyone, including herself, can contemplate them.

3. Clarified

An artist examines her/his emotions; it is not simply that she is possessed by them. She/he examines it.

For the artist, her/his emotional state is like the sitter who poses for a portrait. She struggles to find its texture and its contour.

Making a work of art is not a matter of exploding, venting or ranting; emotions has to be clarified.

This is a controlled activity, not an outburst.

4. Externalised

The artist brings the emotion outside of herself/himself, so to speak - by trying to find some configuration of lines, shapes, colors, sounds, actions, and/or words that are appropriate to or that “match” that feeling.

Art is a public affair. An artwork cannot exist entirely inside someone’s head.

Art must be embodied in some publicly accessible medium

5. Shared Feeling state with audience

These configurations stimulate the same kind of emotional state in the audience

The expression theory of art is also called as The Transmission Theory of Art .

It is because the clarified emotion is communicated/transmitted to an audience. Another version of the expression theory drops this requirement, allowing that something is an artwork as long as it involves the clarification of an emotion, and making an art out of it. It may not be for public consumption. This is called Solo Expression Theory of Art.

Artists like Max Beckmann and Käthe Kollwitz have gone beyond from my feeling state to our feeling state. They expressed strongly on heartbreaking political happenings and social evils. Beckmann was terrified by the horror of war. Käthe Kollwitz was emotionally connected with the weavers movement and farmers movement.

Comments

Visual Analysis: SEMIOTICS

Visual analysis is a systematic and scientific approach to examining visual materials that goes far beyond casual observation. In our visually saturated world, images have become a inescapable universal language that shapes our perceptions, attitudes, and experiences. From the artworks adorning gallery walls to the advertisements lining city streets, visuals communicate narratives, evoke emotions, and reflect sociocultural ideologies. However, the process of seeing and interpreting visuals is not as spontaneous or natural as we often assume. As John Berger notably stated, "seeing is an active decision," suggesting that the process of interpreting visuals is neither spontaneous nor natural, but rather requires conscious effort and critical thinking. The way we perceive and interpret visual content is heavily influenced by habits, conventions, and our individual perspectives. Serious visual analyses requires conscious effort and critical analysis to unravel the laye...

The Brown Sisters: A Four-Decade Portrait of Time and Sisterhood

Nicholas Nixon's "The Brown Sisters" stands as one of photography's most compelling longitudinal portrait studies, documenting four decades of sisterhood through annual black-and-white photographs taken from 1975 to 2014. Using an 8×10 inch view camera, Nixon captured his wife Bebe and her three sisters—Heather, Mimi, and Laurie Brown—in the same order each year, creating a remarkable visual meditation on time, aging, and familial bonds. For the full set of images see the PDF below (for academic use only) Forty Portraits in Forty Years PDF What began as a spontaneous family photograph in 1975 evolved into a profound artistic documentation of human transformation. The project's strength lies in its methodological consistency: the sisters maintain their positions, with the sequence remaining unchanged throughout the series. This rigid framework paradoxically highlights the subtle changes that occur year by year, creating a powerful commentary on the passage of time...

A Critical Visual Analysis of Jan Banning's ‘Bureaucratics’

Jan Banning's photographic series Bureaucratics offers a remarkable anthropological study of civil servants across eight countries, revealing how power, hierarchy, and cultural identity manifest in governmental spaces. Through meticulously composed photographs taken from a citizen's perspective, Banning unveils the theatre of bureaucracy the most immediate visual impact comes from Banning's consistent methodology: each photograph is taken from the same height and distance, positioning the viewer in the role of a citizen approaching the bureaucrat's desk. The bureaucrats are photographed in their natural habitat – their offices – which become stages where power dynamics and cultural values are performed daily. Make visual analysis of Bureaucratics by Jan Banning given below. Bureaucratics by Jan Banning PDF (for academic use only) In examining the spatial arrangements, a clear pattern emerges: the desk serves as both barrier and symbol of authority. In many image...

Mass Media: Platforms and Content

Mass Media today is interplay between technological infrastructure and creative expressions. Mass media, defined as channels of communication designed to reach large audiences, has undergone profound transformation in recent decades. What began as predominantly print-based communication has expanded into a multifaceted ecosystem encompassing visual, audio, and interactive modes of engagement. This essay explores the dialectical relationship between media platforms and content, arguing that the two elements exist in dynamic tension—with platforms shaping content possibilities while content innovations drive platform evolution. As Marshall McLuhan famously observed, "the medium is the message," suggesting that the vehicle of communication fundamentally alters how we perceive and process information. This principle remains relevant as we navigate an increasingly fragmented media landscape characterised by both institutional and user-generated content. The Architecture of Mass M...

'The Problem We All Live With'—A Little Girl's Giant Steps

Sometimes the most powerful revolutions begin with the smallest steps. In 1960, a six-year-old girl named Ruby Bridges took such steps—walking through a screaming mob to attend her first day of school. Her courage was so profound that it moved a nation and inspired one of America's greatest artists to capture her story in a painting that would hang in the White House decades later. Ruby Bridges was born on September 8, 1954—the same year the Supreme Court declared school segregation unconstitutional. Yet six years later, when a federal judge ordered New Orleans schools to integrate, Ruby found herself walking alone into history. She was one of only six Black children who passed the tests to attend the previously all-white William Frantz Elementary School. While other families chose different paths, Ruby's mother made a decision that would echo through generations: "This is important—not just for Ruby, but for all the children who will come after her." On November 14,...

In Pursuit Of Creativity and Becoming One’s Best Version

A study by Way Walker conducted across painters, poets, musicians, and filmmakers—spanning many outstanding artistic creations and pursuits, domains, genres, and movements—reveal five key discoveries. 1. Don't Go Wide but Go Deep Don't try hard to create something that everyone will like, though that sounds reasonable. The greatest creators did not go wide; they went deeper. They created art for one person, one group, or a younger or future emotional avatar of themselves. It is made for one feeling, one version of self that needed the message the most. The goal of art need not be to make something universal or make something big. Van Gogh did not paint for the world; he painted for his brother. Maya Angelou wrote poetry to address her wounded self. This is the paradox: the more personal it is, the more universal it becomes. You start trying to impress everyone, you end up impressing no one. Go out and touch one person deeply, and you will end up moving thousands. Once you know...

Visual Culture

Visual culture is a multifaceted field that examines the pervasive role of visuals in shaping human understanding, beliefs, and behaviours. It posits that visuals are not merely reflections of reality but rather "constructed realities" that actively influence our perception of the world. At its heart, visual culture positions visuals as the reference and data for knowledge, beliefs, thinking, creations, behaviour, etc.; which in turn further shapes current beliefs, thinking, creations, behaviour, etc. Visuals are images/collection of images that are made to be seen. Framed (made) and put out. This highlights that visuals are not spontaneous occurrences but deliberate constructions, detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance, says, John Berger. Examples like the contrasting Newsweek and TIME magazine covers of O.J. Simpson illustrate how different framings of the same event can convey distinct messages and narratives, underscoring the idea that w...

photo.graph.art.design

Search This Blog