A Virtual Dialogue with Picasso and the Aesthetic Theory of Art

'MoMA' New York (2008)

A Virtual Dialogue with Picasso and the Aesthetic Theory of Art

Dr. Zvika Israel

An exhibition of Picasso's sculpture was exhibited in 'MoMA' New York (2008). The exhibition was reviewed in Edition 4, recommending additional reading and outlining a timeline of his work. In honor of this event, the following vignette describes a dialogue regarding Picasso's creative importance in relation to the Aesthetic theory of art, a sort of virtual interview with the artist.

The artists of the 20th century live in harmony with their environment, a record of the process of their artistic projects, illustrating their feelings and thoughts, illustrates the moral substance of these modernist creators including Picasso. Picasso (1881-1973) was a man of contradictions, complex and controversial, both in his creative and critical thinking and in his different/original perception of the visual image and its presentation in another/new dimension. Inspired by materials from his personal diaries that reveal slightly more of his personality, I have outlined a sort of virtual dialogue with Picasso, relating to art and society, culture and traditions, spatial and temporal perception. Underlying this imaginary encounter, lies the conceptual framework of Aesthetic theory, that represents artistic thinking and creative processes. 'Aesthetic understanding' constitutes a fundamental element in visual perception and in the conceptual scheme of art that this essay presents in a discussion with Picasso. This theoretical approach is founded on the ability of artists to communicate with reality, examining processes and transferring ideas, messages and images through recognized visual symbols (Gardner, 1983).

The Author:
Aesthetics is a central theory in the arts, a philosophy discussing the issues of beauty and its rules. It raises philosophical questions such as 'What is art and its rules'. It examines the pleasure derived from the arts and artistic countenance. It relates to changes in perspective and style among artists.

Picasso:
Style is the worst side of the artist, binding him to the same mould, the same formulae year after year. When I wanted to say something I said it in a manner that seemed essential to me, I never engaged in exceptional experiments, different subjects necessarily necessitate different manners of expression.

The Author:
According to the Aesthetic Approach, art draws its sources of inspiration from its environment.

Picasso:
The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place; from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape. We must choose what is right for us wherever we can find it.
It must be wonderful to invent a new subject. Like Van Gogh, for instance, something mundane such as his potatoes.

The Author:
Modern Experimental art, abandons its striking affinity to nature in favour of abstract expression, examining conceptual philosophical approaches while also considering social ideas.

Picasso:
People keep talking about naturalism as though it were the opposite of modern painting. Art and nature are completely different and they could never be the same. We use art to express our ideas of what nature is not.

The Author:
If we relate to your work 'The Guitar' (1913), from the Cubist period, the subject of the painting is reinforced by the use of the collage technique that enriches the creative work with pieces of the real world.

Picasso:
The idea in Cubism, is that the artistic work exists as an object in itself and on its own merit and not as a reflection of reality. I often used pieces of newsprint in my collages, but not so that I could make a newspaper.

The Author:
Additional questions arise from Aesthetic Theory, whether beyond its function of promoting a dialogue with reality, the role of art is to educate people, to provide inspiration, to protest, to raise questions or to come closer to the truth.

Picasso:
In painting, as in life, you have to operate directly. Of course painting has its conventions, and it is important not to ignore them. Therefore, never lose touch with reality.

The Author:
The Aesthetic Theory also relates to questions regarding the source of beauty and examines whether beauty is arranged according to a certain pattern.

Picasso:
I cannot talk about beauty. What is beauty? In painting you have to talk about problems. Paintings are only research and experimentation.

The Author:
The term 'aesthetics', was first proposed by the philosopher Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten in the 18th century. He saw the arts as a purification of sensual consciousness. However, the aesthetic debate concerning beauty began even in the days of ancient Greece. The philosopher Plato saw beauty as an expression of harmony and symmetry. He saw the arts as 'deceit' and imitation; nevertheless he recognised their uplifting nature and the ability of the arts to touch upon the internal substance of things and to provide an emotional release for the observer. What is your opinion concerning history and the artists of the past?

Picasso:
With regard to catharsis, the most important thing in the present period of loose morals is to create enthusiasm. How many people have actually read Homer, but they all talk about him. In this way the legend of Homer is created. This legend is a motivating factor; we need enthusiasm more than anything, both for us and for the younger generation

The Author:
In his book 'Critique of Judgment' (1780) Emannuel Kant, one of the important philosophers of the period of the Enlightenment, identified aesthetics with the term 'taste'. Kant related to aesthetic enjoyment originating from the discernment of beauty, which leads people to recognize the sublime. Beyond dealing with creation, with research and criticism, aesthetics also examines the pleasure to be derived from art through its various subjects.

Picasso:
Our subjects may be different since we introduce objects and shapes into a painting which have been ignored in the past. We observe whatever is in our surroundings with an open eye and with an open mind, we attribute a special importance to each shape and colour. In our subjects, we preserve the joy of discovering pleasure in the unexpected . . . if you know exactly what you are going to do, what is the point of doing it. I love art as the sole purpose for my life. Every moment connected with art causes me great pleasure.

The Author:
The 19th century introduced aesthetic philosophy concerning art research and the perception of truth and its imagery.

Picasso:
A painting is a matter of insight and understanding. This can be seen in the paintings of Manet, in every one of his brush strokes. Indeed, Matisse, you can see him paint, hesitate and then express his thoughts in a strong sweep of the brush.

The Author:
Braque always said that what is really important in painting is the intention.

Picasso: What is important is what you do, that's the important thing. What was especially important in Cubism was what you wanted to do, your intentions, and that you cannot paint.

The Author:
In the 20th century, as a development of Aesthetic Theory, art was again discussed, this time the theory was used to criticise the role of art, and art was seen as a form of social protest, using art as social criticism (Adorno, 1947).

Picasso:
Artists live and work from spiritual values, it is impossible for them to be apathetic with regard to the conflict which threatens the supreme values of human culture.
Picasso:
Artists live and work from spiritual values, it is impossible for them to be apathetic with regard to the conflict which threatens the supreme values of human culture.

The Author:
The Structuralists, in the middle of the last century, assumed that behavioural phenomena (such as thought and language), were founded in principle on simple structures, which according to Piaget (1948) develop in successive stages. The Structuralists redefined aesthetic representation in art as
a function of the pattern and organization of materials and the meanings in artistic works

Picasso:
I never paint a picture as an artistic creation, everything is researched thoroughly and this continual research has a logical development. Therefore I number and date each of my pictures
.
The Author:
In this context, Bruner (1969) explains how conceptualisation is achieved through categorisation. This form of thinking enables materials and events with similar features to be sorted into categories and defined according to different characteristics. This facilitates a person's perception of reality, as a central component in the development of cognition, as an aspect of self awareness.

Picasso:
In my work I exploit phenomena from daily life to present an illusion of them on the canvas. At the same time it is important to reach a comprehensive inner vision of the subject; to penetrate beyond the surface and to investigate a variety of aspects

The Author: In the artist's creative process a sort of conflict is formed between the need for harmony in colour and texture as a process of abstraction liberated from its foundation in the perceptible subject, and the importance of raising awareness to current problems in society as an
issue of identity?

Picasso:
From the point of view of art there are no perceptible or abstract forms, but rather forms which are more or less convincing lies. There is no doubt that they are essential for our spiritual ego, since it is through them that we form our aesthetic awareness.

Author: Contemporary art at any period and time, includes a historic awareness expressed by the work of artists from the past, on the other hand a process develops and is reformulated in an encounter with the concrete world. Jeff Kunes (2008) argues, that contemporary art is entirely trapped within the present … art of the past is the context to clarify its philosophical character.

Picasso: In my opinion there is neither past nor future in art. If a work is not able to exist continuously in the present then it is not worthy of consideration at all.

As part of Picasso's creative work and perpetual search for an alternative artistic and social aesthetics he often shook the foundations of art. According to Marcel Duchan (in Paz, 1987) Picasso was not is not an artist who belongs to an artistic movements within the history of the painting, he is an artistic genre that has become the history of the painting. 'It is impossible to understand the modern painting without Picasso. And at the same time it is impossible to understand Picasso without the modern painting (Octavio Paz, 1987).

Picasso dealt with the investigation and abstraction of the shape, and as Kandinsky notes: 'Picasso wants to reach the constructive, he is not deterred from using any means and when the colour disturbs him with regard to the problem of the pure impression of the form, then he throws it away and paints the picture in brown and white. In investigating the form, Picasso constitutes a single grand guide, towards a single grand goal.'

Picasso's modern work was accompanied by the development of unique styles and methods of expression. His ability to utilize living images from his surroundings, as metaphors and for social criticism and yet also to include symbols and conceptualization in his artistic works, testifies to his original spatial perception. The enormity of his creative work stems from his complex personality and his socio-political views.

Notable among his important works is 'Guernica' (1937, Oil on Canvas, 349 x 776 cm. Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid), which evolved from spiritual values but nevertheless expresses criticism of society: this work constitutes an unprecedented expression by the artist regarding loss, the slaughter of civilians and oppression of the human spirit by war. On the other hand, the image of the dove in another of his works has become an international symbol of peace and fraternity.


Note: Picasso left 149 notebooks, including sketches and his thoughts. The responses by Picasso in this article, were quoted in full and without alteration from his diaries.