Page 63 - Studio International - December 1973

ART THEORY& PRACTICE
`objectivity') is that entities are selected for It seems that entailed in the conventionally concepts accepted, nor the natures of the
consideration by consultation with the presupposed relation of theory and practice of acceptance of the concepts, can provide
conjecture to be forwarded and the thesis art, there is the supposition that decisions which sufficiently adequate distinction between
becomes entirely honorific. What is forwarded affect the nature of the resultant art-works are `practical decision-making' processes. So where
is simply presupposed in the selection of `artistic' (i.e. the decisions are of artists rather else could the difference lie, if not in the
entities for consideration. than of theorists) and that decisions concerning decision-making process ?
It has been remarked that this tendency in `what art is' are the preserve of art-theory. One The distinction usually presupposed, in
modern aesthetic theory (and indeed in modern might say that the decisions of the first type are maintaining the separation, comes from the
art-criticism) contributes to the traditional `for art', whereas those of the second type are natures of the concepts consulted in the
theory-practice separation, presupposed in both `about art'. The latter, it would be supposed, decision-making which occurs, respectively, in
activities. However, it also seems that the nature are made on a metaplane of discourse to the theory and in practice. That practical concerns
of the respective endeavours are themselves former. However one might add that the sorts of and concepts and theoretical concerns and
determined by just this presupposition. The concepts which the artist, in his decision- concepts are distinguishable by their type of
traditional institutional affiliation of art-theory making, consults, are bound to be those with `order' in a conceptual scheme, might seem to
to philosophy departments in universities which the theorist is concerned to argument and be the most adequate way of extricating the
certainly tends to be efficacious in determining articulate for his theory to be 'about art' and for commitment to this sort of theory-practice
the nature of the resultant theoretical practice to involve ordinary deliberation in its relation, from the difficulties outlined above.
conjectures, as well as contributing to the decision-making procedure. Thus, given this However, once it is recognized that concepts
`deliberate' timorosity of such speculations from conceptual identity, a role difference must be which are theoretically articulated, and concepts
direct import in the realm of art-practice. One formulated in terms of an acceptance of the which are practically articulated are separated,
might estimate that the recession of adequately concepts in the conventional relation of theory not by a categorial distinction, but by a
speculative theory from art4 has tended to and practice. It might, for example, be thought distinction of 'type of order' within a single
encourage the compensatory development of a that decisions on the part of artists are conceptual scheme, the position arrived at is
crude 'parameter divining' activity in art-practice determined, whereas those of the theorist are such, that theory and practice must be regarded
(which might itself, be regarded as a sort of `free'. In this way a theorist's decision is based as contributing to the same conceptual scheme.
`theory', where this is taken to be the systematic upon real choice of accepting one from an array Moreover, since the distinction can only be held
organization of concepts pertinent to practice). of possible concepts (of art, or those entailed and to be a 'type of order', no hard and fast
The need to exercise reductionism in P-D art is subsumed by the concept of art), whereas the distinction which is, in any sense, 'fixed' can be
logically aimed at discovering certain artist's would be thought to be determined. He forwarded. Indeed, it seems that the distinction,
purportedly fundamental and incontrovertible merely accepts a concept and applies it phrased in these terms, is arbitrary or at least
norms and aesthetic desirata. The `practically', and has simply no choice in which historically changeable.
fundamentalism thus presupposed in P-D concepts he accepts. Of course none of the foregoing corresponds,
reductionism, is subject to the same criticism as A 'role' separation, in terms of the acceptance even remotely, to the more explicit convictions
is essentialism in aesthetic theory. But the of concepts of art or of its surrogates, seems of conventional aesthetic theory — it merely
importance of this tendency is that it represents inadequate unless it is further thought that demonstrates the inadequacy of upholding the
a formative, though vestigial, variety of 'theory' theory prescribes the acceptance of certain theory-practice separation, when art-practice is
in art. Moreover, it is theory for art rather than concepts in art-practice. The distinction could thought to involve ordinary deliberation and
a theory of art which is promoted. The be adequately upheld, provided that the thus conceptual thinking. It is certainly more
importance of P-D art resides in the precedence function of theory was considered to be the conventional for art-theory to completely
it exhibits for the 'conjunction of theory and formulation of concepts for acceptance and disregard the conscious deliberation involved in
practice in the same teleological process', employment in art-practice. Unfortunately this art-practice. And so it seems that the theory-
presupposed in theoretical art, of functionalism. runs entirely contrary to the presuppositions of practice separatism is consolidated by, and
Its deficiencies are similar to those of most modern aesthetic theory (and criticism). rooted in just this disregard.
philosophical and descriptive art-theory proper Within the scheme described, the practice of Similarly based upon the disregard for human
and can be listed as : naturalism, and its art would be simply the practical employment of deliberation in art, is the modus operandi of
attendant ontological commitment to concepts subsumed by the concept of art. aesthetic theory, which assumes an objective
physicality, essentialism or fundamentalism and But what is 'practical employment', if not the stance. Art-theory is thus conducted as though
finally determinism. It is the latter of these articulation of the concepts, itself ? If art-theory, an objective science (positivism). Consequently,
`deficiencies', determinism, which most clearly in upholding the conventionally accepted the realm of art is deterministically 'given',
precludes the operation of its 'parameter relation of theory and practice, must, for the rather than being assumed to be a consequence
divining' from ever achieving the status of sake of adequacy in both endeavours, prescribe of human deliberation. Talk of art-activity
adequate theory or adequate prescriptivity. to practice, decisions, relating to 'how to which implies, in the adjunct 'activity', a
Before going on to recommend a different practically employ' a given concept of art are teleological process, is supplanted by talk of an
relation for theory and practice in art, the exact admissible in art-theory, because, given this `art-process' or synonyms, which presuppose a
nature of the traditional separation merits some prescriptivity, the formulation of the concept deterministic casual process, in nearly all
scrutiny, in order to indicate its arbitrariness is made towards the 'end' of its practical aesthetic theory. The real factual character of
and some of its theoretical entailments. The employment. Thus, it seems, 'practical' the realm of art is, in this way, taken to the
determinism, presupposed in such a widespread decisions are admissible in art-theory and exclusion of human deliberation, or at least the
fashion by both theoreticians and practictioners, conversely, art-theoretical decisions are subordination of the latter, conceptually, to an
makes talk of decisions rare, if not admissible in art-practice (inasmuch as, in the on-going process which is identifiable casually
straightforwardly inadmissible. However, it latter case, the articulation of concepts, which rather than teleologically.
makes no difference to the ensuing argument might be taken as the sacred preserve of theory, Recent art-activity has rendered itself
whether we consider the decisions made in a is in fact maintained also in practice). Thus, gratuitously open to the strictures of modern
programme of art-work to be determined or even in the more adequate formulation of the art-theory, both by stressing the real factual
free. Although the content of the argument is traditional theory and practice relation which is character of its art-works (Denis's 'Un tableau
not entirely indifferent to the issue of freedom excluded (implicitly) by the descriptive slant of est essentielment une surface plane recouverte en
and determinism, its formulation is so. modern art-theory, neither the natures of the couleurs et assemblées en un certain ordre' is a
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