Page 81 - Studio International - December 1973

ART THEORY& PRACTICE
identified with these movements. These although I do not find Art-Language's particular territorial nature. This is explicitly what they
conditions can be seen as a questioning of the way of trying to encourage this unproblematic, borrow from Thomas Kuhn - his theory of
traditional requirement that an art-object the space in which they work is certainly one radical paradigm shifts in the history of science,
should be a material object. But for Art- that should be fought over, if not actually in which the subject matter, theories, methods
Language this 'dematerialization' of the art- occupied. My claim is that what they could and language of, say, physics all undergo a rapid
object, while it resulted in exhibits that be doing - and this their work points to - is and complete transformation. Appealing as such
conformed to the expanded standards, such as more interesting than what they actually do. a model is for their own self-understanding it
the 'Air-Conditioning Show' and the Considering to what extent they are involved just cannot be absorbed in an uncritical way.
`Oxfordshire Air Show', was really the occasion in teaching - and their theories seem to have Kuhn, for instance, arguably uses the word
for the systematic investigation of ontology in art. originated partly from reflection on the teaching `paradigm' in at least seven different ways, and
How is it possible to justify widening the situation - and given that they want practising the debate his theories have given rise to
object-field to include objects which do not artists (or so one supposes) to learn from their focuses around the problem of scientific
simply conform to material object status ? One work, their actual style of writing and arguing theory construction, where the theories
answer is by treating art-objects as intentional is unbelievably obtuse. Articles seem to be are explanatory in intent. But it does not
objects, having an intrinsic relationship to written for other members of a very narrow seem to me that the Art-Language
consciousness. But if one treats this group, and on the assumption that each has read paradigm, if so it be called, is of an explanatory
consciousness as individual, one gets involved in all the books the other has, or at least could order at all. Consequently the use of Kuhnian
pure subjectivism. Rather than get involved in understand them. The way in which they use concepts requires a lot of justification.
phenomenology in which the notion of the these books, as I have already suggested, makes a In fact, the way they use Kuhn is to treat his
intentional object and the overcoming of the mockery of philosophical argument. One model as itself a prescriptive model - as a
problem of subjectivism are central concerns, symptom of this inward-looking stance is the recipe for 'how to create a new paradigm' and
the Art-Language group prefer to leave very strange feeling of not knowing until half their group centredness can be understood in
the questions of ontology largely unsolved, as I way through an article why they are saying what this light. The factions that have been produced
see it, and move on to the analysis of art- they are saying - what relevance it has - like within the broader field of 'analytical approaches
assertions, which could then be treated with the breaking into someone else's phone to art' parallels the development of heresies in
tools of analytical philosophy. It is not exactly conversation. Their exclusiveness as a group is religious sectarianism.
that they do not consider the possibility of a not only shown in the level of specialized Art-Language must be liberated from its own
phenomenological approach, but seem to adopt theoretical presupposition involved in each history, but it can only do this if it condescends
the ignorance of their philosophical mentors article, but also in the actual barriers they erect to be intelligible to those who have neither time
when they reject it, which is a shame: 'the new to any understanding at all. Thus: 'Despite the nor inclination to misinterpret the grey texts
Continental ontologies . . . ignore, do not rather thrasonical aspects of the "air of British philosophical scholasticism.
attempt to answer criticisms of Cartesian conditioning" situation, it might be said to In conclusion I would like to raise two
rationalism and German Idealism' (Atkinson, siphon off as a protasis for an inverted questions that are still unanswered in my mind.
Feb. 197o), which is rather odd considering that Eurekaism'. (Atkinson/Baldwin, 1967). Firstly it seems that Art-Language is still,
Heidegger's main work is devoted to making and They are right in wanting to abolish the perhaps unconsciously, operating within a
not failing to answer just such criticisms. romantic conception of the artist as an framework of thought that even while it may
The translatability of the concepts and inscrutable subject who creates a work of art not make rigid distinctions between painting and
methods of analytical philosophy into the out of his own breast, but they have sculpture none the less distinguishes the fine
field of art-production, given their growing substituted in its place a group solipsism arts from music, drama and above all literature.
irrelevance for the progress of philosophy, is an to which there is no easy access. For an And yet I cannot see on what basis they can
assumption that must be questioned much more ordinary art student the problem of coming uphold this distinction.
seriously. The adoption of formal semantic to terms with Art-Language must be vast. Secondly, though this problem is receiving
theories is another irony, given their dubious Partly as a response to this problem, as well some attention at the hands of (at least) some very
value even in relation to natural languages (like as being an exercise in self-understanding, they critical students at Coventry, I have not read
English), let alone for Art-Language. This have completed an 'index' of all their past work any convincing account of Art-Language's
formalistic slant also betrays what can only be by which the novice can be initiated, which attitude to the art market. After all, it is just the
described as Art-Language's complete lack of works as a sort of cross-reference system. As an concept of commodity that transcends the level
any historical sense. The only concept they use interesting corroboration of their total lack of of being merely a material object. It could be
with any historical applicability is that of a any historical understanding, they have only argued that Art-Language is offering a
paradigm shift (I shall return to this) which synchronic ordering principles. Articles are theoretical underpinning for the art-market as a
relegates thousands of years of painting and related to each other in three possible ways : commodity-market, in which not only material
sculpture to the limitations of the 'old compatibility, incompatibility, incomparability. objects are exchanged (or exhibited) but also
paradigm'. But the new brave world, at least as But the crudeness of these relationships, when theoretical objects of all sorts.
it is represented in their published writings, is one considers even the possible relationships This article has been largely critical. I would
one full of as much ignorance as boldness. This between two propositions, makes the enterprise not like it to be thought, however, that I
is hardly surprising. It is the chief characteristic something of a formalistic joke. I just do not disapprove of what Art-Language is doing in
of the philosophical methods they have adopted. believe that the index will ever be used for the principle. But I have deep reservations about
Although I think they have backed the wrong educational purposes for which it was intended. the way they are doing it. High level theoretical
horse, there is no doubt that the attempt to It is not even a coffee-table book, but the coffee- discussions about the practice of art by its
treat the activity of producing an art object, and table itself. What I'm sure it has done is to open practitioners are very valuable indeed.
the objects so produced, in a sophisticated up new ways forward in theory for the group Art-Language would gain infinitely by the
philosophical way can have a salutary effect on itself by allowing some sort of total view, introduction of intelligibility into its writings,
the way artists pronounce about their work, the however crude, of their progress so far. by abandoning some of its pretensions to
incomprehensibility of which usually reflects The third ordering principle of the index - philosophical sophistication and thereby
the artist's own inability to understand what he incomparability - that two articles are 'not in widening the discussion. Were this done it
is doing. While I do not think that artistic the same class' points to a much more general could become a real force in the future of art. [10
activity need be theoretically self-conscious, and feature of their thought: its categorical or DAVID WOOD
275