Minimal Diptych | Not so obvious Deceivingly complex Componentized relationship |
I
believe the history of art provides ample evidence that aesthetic expression and appreciation are not explicit. Rather they depend on individual taste and preference, as governed by the general mental development of both the artist and audience, necessarily dynamic over time.
No two human minds are precisely alike, and as the early Pictorialist photographer, Paul L. Anderson said about his work in 1919:
“This work will have a certain effect on those minds which resemble my own sufficiently to receive from external objects the same impressions that I do, or impressions similar to mine.”
An important aspect of creative intent is to work beyond conventions. The ultimate goal is to create new work that does not simply rehash the past, but rather breaks new ground. It seems rather obvious this cannot be achieved without comprehensive knowledge of the archive. Of course, as the archive expands, the difficulty of operating outside its content containment field becomes increasingly arduous.
“Only that man is truly fortunate who gives his best at all times, who unceasingly labors for the finest that he can see or dream. He may miss the financial reward or the praise of the multitude, but he will nevertheless be firm in the consciousness that he has used his talents well, and will come to the realization that he has, in some measure, worked hand in hand with the eternal forces that govern and control all life, not only for the passing day but forever.” - Paul L. Anderson
