Page 44 - Studio International - May 1972

Three the status of objects-of-art. In the paradoxical as had been used with other entities. It in no
couplet of art-value implied contextually way changes the extensional basis of the activity
paradoxes and versus art-value by virtue of the morphology of and complies to the operational norm of the
the 'ready-made', the resolution represented the implicit definition. This early treatment of
a resolution triumph of context. It is upon this resolution propositions as 'real' ignores the fundamentally
that the implicit definition of art became an intentional nature of such entities. The result
operational norm; by mere revision of the of this lack of distinction between the intentional
John Stezaker
morphology of the object-of-art constantly and the 'real', forms the basis of the paradoxical
revised definitions of art were established. The state of affairs to be formalised later in the
use of this propositional form of the implicit second paradox (the art propositional paradox).
definition remains feasible, if mundane, A much more radical step is made,
whilst only 'real' entities are utilised, i.e. in first (representing a fuller recognition of the
intention. The difficulties encountered are propositional framework for art) in changing the
simply in the consequences of the implicit implicit propositional form of 'extensional art'
The paradox of the 'readymade' in its definition so proposed and in the transition, in to an explicit definition of art of the form;
historically resolved form has represented the Austin's terms, from 'medium-sized dry goods' art is —.
basis for extentional art activity such that (bottleracks etc.) to less tangible entities such as However, whilst art is explicitly defined, many
implicit definitions of art have been proposed of durations (Arnatt), inert gases and radioactive ontological assessments of 'art' have been
the propositional form; emissions (Barry), absences (Weiner), etc. attempted by utilising a so-called
— is art. The recognition of the fundamentally metalanguage. The consequence of the adoption
propositional nature of art-entities, rather than of a metalanguage (and of the Theory of Types)
The blank representing the names of an changing the propositional form, initially is that the possibility of self-referential
indefinite number of possible 'real' things like utilised this recognition to include propositions consistency is precluded. Moreover the
bottleracks etc. Duchamp's paradox operated as further extensions of the implicit definition argument of self-referential consistency is
upon presupposition (upon what is of art, i.e. as another variable in the propositional from this standpoint thought to be invalid.
presupposed admissible as art). Historically an form. The admission of art-propositions Before mentioning the philosophical
empirical resolution of the paradox was essentially relied upon the same basis for the argument for the necessity of self-referential
established when the 'readymades' attained implicit inclusion of the propositional entities consistency (see Towards a Resolution) the