ensayos sobre estetica - clement greenberg

8/13/2019 Ensayos Sobre Estetica - Clement Greenberg

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CLEMENT GREENBERG

Photo: Eleanore Lazare

"... At this same party [a !rien intro#$e the then $omparati%ely yo#n& art $riti$Clement Green'er&... Marianne seeme to 'e !amiliar (ith his (ritin& an sai) onsha*in& hans) "+h) the fearless Mr. Green'er&."

,, Eliza'eth Bishop in Efforts of Affection: A Memoir of Marianne Moore

CLEMENT GREENBERG -1/,10 (as the &reatest art $riti$ o! the se$on hal! o!the 2/th $ent#ry an possi'ly the &reatest art $riti$ o! all time. All this) o! $o#rse) isar&#a'le an remains so. 3e (as the most %ili!ie $riti$ sin$e Bernar Berenson ,,"Clem'ashin&)" as it $ame to 'e *no(n) has $ontin#e #na'ate sin$e the late 45/s)$lima6in& in 7loren$e R#'en!el4s 'io&raphy an Aam Gopni*4s sa%a&e re%ie( o!same in the pa&es o! The New Yorker .

This site may not (in $on%erts) '#t it (ill present the opinions o! !riens an

amirers as (ell as some o! Green'er&4s o(n (ritin& ,, in the hope -perhaps !aintthat someone (ill a$t#ally rea the st#!!. 84ll a to it as material 'e$omes a%aila'le.

My than*s !or s#pport !rom Green'er&4s many !riens an espe$ially !rom his(io() 9ani$e an 3orne.

,, Terry 7enton

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http://www.sharecom.ca/greenberg/bio.html



CLEMENT GREENBERG

A#to'io&raphi$al ;tatement1<<

The books mentioned are hard to find these days both lon! o"t of #rint$ Matisse is a

small commercial #a#erback %% well worth readin! abo"t an artist Greenber!

admired and ad&ocated at a time when 'icasso r"led$

%% T(

8 =A; B+RN in the Bron6) in Ne( >or* City) the olest o! three sons. My !ather anmy mother ha $ome) in their separate (ays) !rom the Lith#anian 9e(ish $#lt#ralen$la%e in north,eastern Polan) an 8 spo*e >iish as soon as 8 i En&lish. =hen 8(as !i%e (e mo%e to Nor!ol*) a.) '#t mo%e 'a$* to Ne( >or* ,, Broo*lyn thistime ,, (hen 8 (as ele%en) an (e ha%e more or less staye there sin$e. My !ather

ha 'y that time mae eno#&h money to $han&e o%er !rom store*eeper -$lothin& toman#!a$t#rer -metal &oos. 3o(e%er) 8 $an4t remem'er there e%er ha%in& 'een any(orryin& a'o#t money in o#r !amily) or any one in it la$*in& !or anythin&. =hi$h isnot to say that (e (ere ri$h.

8 attene p#'li$ s$hool in Nor!ol* an Broo*lyn) too* the last year o! hi&h s$hool atthe Mar?#an ;$hool) an (ent to ;yra$#se @ni%ersity !or an A.B. -1/. 7or t(oan a hal! years a!ter $olle&e 8 sat home in (hat loo*e li*e ileness) '#t i #rin&that time learn German an 8talian in aition to 7ren$h an Latin. The !ollo(in& t(oyears 8 (or*e in ;t. Lo#is) Cle%elan) ;an 7ran$is$o) an Los An&eles in ana'orti%e) le!t,hane %ent#re o! my !ather4s into the (holesale ry,&oos '#siness

'#t 8 is$o%ere that my appetite !or '#siness i not amo#nt to the same thin& as anin$lination. #rin& the ne6t year 8 s#pporte mysel! 'y translatin&. 8n 10 8 marriean ha a son) aniel) a year later,an another year later 8 (as i%or$e. At the

'e&innin& o! 15 8 (ent to (or* !or the !eeral &o%ernment) !irst in the Ne( >or*o!!i$e o! the Ci%il ;er%i$e Commission) then in the eterans Aministration) an!inally -in 1D in the Appraiser4s i%ision o! the C#stoms ;er%i$e in the Port o!

Ne( >or*. @ntil then 8 ha 'een ma*in& es#ltory e!!orts to (rite '#t no( 8 'e&an inearnest) in my o!!i$e ,, time leis#re ,, o! (hi$h 8 ha plenty, an !airly soon 8 'e&anto &et printe.

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As a $hil 8 ha 'een a pre$o$io#s ra#&htsman) an 8 ha ra(n an s*et$heo'sessi%ely #ntil $olle&e '#t &ra#ally 8 'e$ame m#$h more intereste in literat#rethan in art -(hi$h 8 still !in it har to rea a'o#t) an so (hen 8 'e&an to (rite it(as mainly on literat#re. Partisan Re%ie( (as the !irst pla$e to p#'lish my $riti$ism)in 1) an in 10/ 8 'e$ame one o! its eitors. Late in 102 8 resi&ne !rom 'oth

the ma&azine an the C#stoms ;er%i$e) an most o! 10 8 spent in the Army Air7or$e. A!ter a spell o! !ree,lan$in& an translatin& 8 too* a o') in A#&#st 100) asmana&in& eitor o! the Contem#orary )ewish Record ) a 'imonthly p#t o#t 'y theAmeri$an 9e(ish Committee (hen the Re$or (as repla$e 'y Commentary 8 stayeon as an asso$iate eitor o! the latter) (hi$h 8 still am.

8n the meantime my interest in art ha rea(a*ene an 'e$ome a &oo eal moresel!,$ons$io#s than 'e!ore that is) 8 no lon&er too* my opinions in the matter o!

paintin& an s$#lpt#re as m#$h !or &rante) an 'e&an to !eel responsi'le !or them.By the en o! 108 8 (as (ritin& an o$$asional pie$e on art !or the Nation) !or (hi$h 8ha alreay 'een oin& 'oo* re%ie(s) an in 100 8 'e$ame its re&#lar art $riti$. Atthe same time 8 (rote art $riti$ism no( an then !or other perioi$als) an eno#&h

'oo* re%ie(s ,, not all o! them on art 'oo*s ,, to &i%e me a 'elly,!#ll o! re%ie(in& in&eneral. ;o in 10 8 &a%e #p the Nation $ol#mn) tho#&h 8 $ontin#e !or another t(oyears (ritin& more or less re&#larly !or Partisan Re%ie() (hi$h) 'ein& a 'imonthly)&a%e me more 'reathin& spa$e 'et(een ealines. B#t in 1<1 8 &a%e that #p too) anha%e 'een tryin& e%er sin$e then to (or* on thin&s) insie an o#tsie art) that ha%eless to o (ith the $#rrent s$ene. The only 'oo* 8 ha%e to my $reit so !ar is a shortone) 9oan Miro. 8 am no( preparin& an e%en shorter 'oo* on Matisse.

No one has (ritten a'o#t me at any len&th) tho#&h some o! my !ailin&s (ereis$#sse in the re%ie(s o! my Miro 'oo* ,, an 8 o &et re!erre to) rather#n!a%ora'ly on the (hole) in an o$$asional arti$le or 'oo*. B#t 8 (as please (henAl!re Barr) in his 'oo* on Matisse) mentione me as a painter as (ell as $riti$ an 8ha%e 'een paintin& more an more serio#sly in the last ten years or so. Art $riti$ism) 8(o#l say) is a'o#t the most #n&rate!#l !orm o! "ele%ate" (ritin& 8 *no( o!. 8t mayalso 'e one o! the most $hallen&in& ,, i! only 'e$a#se so !e( people ha%e one it (elleno#&h to 'e remem'ere ,, '#t 84m not s#re the $hallen&e is (orth it.

%% Twentieth Cent"ry A"thors *first s"##lement+ New York: The ,$ -$ -ilson Com#any ./00$

Re#rinted in 1elected Essays 2ol 3

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AANT,GARE ANF8T;C3

Clement Greenber!

This is Green'er&4s 'rea*thro#&h essay !rom 1) (ritten !or the 'artisan Re&iew

(hen he (as t(enty,nine years o! a&e an at the time more in%ol%e (ith literat#re

than (ith paintin&. 3e $ame) later) to ree$t m#$h o! the essay ,, nota'ly thee!inition o! *its$h (hi$h he later 'elie%e to 'e ill tho#&ht o#t -as) inee) it is.Later he $ame to ienti!y the threat to hi&h art as $omin& !rom mile'ro( taste)(hi$h in any e%ent ali&ns m#$h more $losely (ith the a$aemi$ than *its$h e%er ior $o#l. The essay has an air an ass#ran$e o! 4/s Mar6ism) (ith pe$#liarass#mptions s#$h as that only #ner so$ialism $o#l the taste o! the masses 'e raise.B#t !or all that) the essay sta*es o#t ne( territory. Altho#&h the a%ant,&are (as ana$$epte !a$t in the 4/s. Green'er& (as the !irst to e!ine its so$ial an histori$al$onte6t an $#lt#ral import. The essay also $arrie (ithin it the sees o! his notion o!moernism. espite its !a#lts an sometimes heay prose) it stans as one o! theimportant theoreti$al o$#ments o! 2/th $ent#ry $#lt#re.

,, T78

+ NE AN T3E ;AME $i%ilization pro#$es sim#ltaneo#sly t(o s#$h i!!erent thin&s sa poem 'y T. ;. Eliot an a Tin Pan Alley son&) or a paintin& 'y Bra?#e an a1at"rday E&enin! 'ost $o%er. All !o#r are on the orer o! $#lt#re) an ostensi'ly)

parts o! the same $#lt#re an pro#$ts o! the same so$iety. 3ere) ho(e%er) their$onne$tion seems to en. A poem 'y Eliot an a poem 'y Eie G#est ,, (hat

perspe$ti%e o! $#lt#re is lar&e eno#&h to ena'le #s to sit#ate them in an enli&htenin&relation to ea$h other oes the !a$t that a isparity s#$h as this (ithin the !rame o! asin&le $#lt#ral traition) (hi$h is an has 'een ta*en !or &rante ,, oes this !a$t

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ini$ate that the isparity is a part o! the nat#ral orer o! thin&s +r is it somethin&entirely ne() an parti$#lar to o#r a&e

The ans(er in%ol%es more than an in%esti&ation in aestheti$s. 8t appears to me that itis ne$essary to e6amine more $losely an (ith more ori&inality than hitherto the

relationship 'et(een aestheti$ e6perien$e as met 'y the spe$i!i$ ,, not the &eneralize,, ini%i#al) an the so$ial an histori$al $onte6ts in (hi$h that e6perien$e ta*es pla$e. =hat is 'ro#&ht to li&ht (ill ans(er) in aition to the ?#estion pose a'o%e)other an perhaps more important ?#estions.

A so$iety) as it 'e$omes less an less a'le) in the $o#rse o! its e%elopment) to #sti!ythe ine%ita'ility o! its parti$#lar !orms) 'rea*s #p the a$$epte notions #pon (hi$hartists an (riters m#st epen in lar&e part !or $omm#ni$ation (ith their a#ien$es.8t 'e$omes i!!i$#lt to ass#me anythin&. All the %erities in%ol%e 'y reli&ion)a#thority) traition) style) are thro(n into ?#estion) an the (riter or artist is nolon&er a'le to estimate the response o! his a#ien$e to the sym'ols an re!eren$es(ith (hi$h he (or*s. 8n the past s#$h a state o! a!!airs has #s#ally resol%e itsel! intoa motionless Ale6anrianism) an a$aemi$ism in (hi$h the really important iss#esare le!t #nto#$he 'e$a#se they in%ol%e $ontro%ersy) an in (hi$h $reati%e a$ti%ity(inles to %irt#osity in the small etails o! !orm) all lar&er ?#estions 'ein& e$ie

'y the pre$eent o! the ol masters. The same themes are me$hani$ally %arie in ah#nre i!!erent (or*s) an yet nothin& ne( is pro#$e: ;tati#s) manarin %erse)Roman s$#lpt#re) Bea#6,Arts paintin&) neo,rep#'li$an ar$hite$t#re.

8t is amon& the hope!#l si&ns in the mist o! the e$ay o! o#r present so$iety that (e,, some o! #s ,, ha%e 'een #n(illin& to a$$ept this last phase !or o#r o(n $#lt#re. 8nsee*in& to &o 'eyon Ale6anrianism) a part o! =estern 'o#r&eois so$iety has

pro#$e somethin& #nhear o! hereto!ore: ,, a%ant,&are $#lt#re. A s#perior$ons$io#sness o! history ,, more pre$isely) the appearan$e o! a ne( *in o! $riti$ismo! so$iety) an histori$al $riti$ism ,, mae this possi'le. This $riti$ism has not$on!ronte o#r present so$iety (ith timeless #topias) '#t has so'erly e6amine in theterms o! history an o! $a#se an e!!e$t the ante$eents) #sti!i$ations an !#n$tionso! the !orms that lie at the heart o! e%ery so$iety. Th#s o#r present 'o#r&eois so$ial

orer (as sho(n to 'e) not an eternal) "nat#ral" $onition o! li!e) '#t simply the latestterm in a s#$$ession o! so$ial orers. Ne( perspe$ti%es o! this *in) 'e$omin& a parto! the a%an$e intelle$t#al $ons$ien$e o! the !i!th an si6th e$aes o! thenineteenth $ent#ry) soon (ere a'sor'e 'y artists an poets) e%en i! #n$ons$io#sly!or the most part. 8t (as no a$$ient) there!ore) that the 'irth o! the a%ant,&are$oin$ie $hronolo&i$ally ,, an &eo&raphi$ally) too ,, (ith the !irst 'ole%elopment o! s$ienti!i$ re%ol#tionary tho#&ht in E#rope.

Tr#e) the !irst settlers o! 'ohemia ,, (hi$h (as then ienti$al (ith the a%ant,&are ,,t#rne o#t soon to 'e emonstrati%ely #nintereste in politi$s. Ne%ertheless) (itho#tthe $ir$#lation o! re%ol#tionary ieas in the air a'o#t them) they (o#l ne%er ha%e

'een a'le to isolate their $on$ept o! the "'o#r&eois" in orer to e!ine (hat they (ere

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not. Nor) (itho#t the moral ai o! re%ol#tionary politi$al attit#es (o#l they ha%eha the $o#ra&e to assert themsel%es as a&&ressi%ely as they i a&ainst the pre%ailin&stanars o! so$iety. Co#ra&e inee (as neee !or this) 'e$a#se the a%ant,&are4semi&ration !rom 'o#r&eois so$iety to 'ohemia meant also an emi&ration !rom themar*ets o! $apitalism) #pon (hi$h artists an (riters ha 'een thro(n 'y the !allin&

a(ay o! aristo$rati$ patrona&e. -+stensi'ly) at least) it meant this ,, meant star%in& ina &arret ,, altho#&h) as (e (ill 'e sho(n later) the a%ant,&are remaine atta$he to 'o#r&eois so$iety pre$isely 'e$a#se it neee its money.

>et it is tr#e that on$e the a%ant,&are ha s#$$eee in "eta$hin&" itsel! !romso$iety) it pro$eee to t#rn aro#n an rep#iate re%ol#tionary as (ell as 'o#r&eois

politi$s. The re%ol#tion (as le!t insie so$iety) a part o! that (elter o! ieolo&i$alstr#&&le (hi$h art an poetry !in so #npropitio#s as soon as it 'e&ins to in%ol%ethose "pre$io#s" a6iomati$ 'elie!s #pon (hi$h $#lt#re th#s !ar has ha to rest. 3en$eit e%elope that the tr#e an most important !#n$tion o! the a%ant,&are (as not to"e6periment)" '#t to !in a path alon& (hi$h it (o#l 'e possi'le to *eep $#lt#remo%in& in the mist o! ieolo&i$al $on!#sion an %iolen$e. Retirin& !rom p#'li$alto&ether) the a%ant,&are poet or artist so#&ht to maintain the hi&h le%el o! his art

'y 'oth narro(in& an raisin& it to the e6pression o! an a'sol#te in (hi$h allrelati%ities an $ontrai$tions (o#l 'e either resol%e or 'esie the point. "Art !orart4s sa*e" an "p#re poetry" appear) an s#'e$t matter or $ontent 'e$omessomethin& to 'e a%oie li*e a pla&#e.

8t has 'een in sear$h o! the a'sol#te that the a%ant,&are has arri%e at "a'stra$t" or

"nono'e$ti%e" art ,, an poetry) too. The a%ant,&are poet or artist tries in e!!e$t toimitate Go 'y $reatin& somethin& %ali solely on its o(n terms) in the (ay nat#reitsel! is %ali) in the (ay a lans$ape ,, not its pi$t#re ,, is aestheti$ally %alisomethin& &i%en) in$reate) inepenent o! meanin&s) similars or ori&inals. Content isto 'e issol%e so $ompletely into !orm that the (or* o! art or literat#re $annot 'ere#$e in (hole or in part to anythin& not itsel!.

B#t the a'sol#te is a'sol#te) an the poet or artist) 'ein& (hat he is) $herishes $ertainrelati%e %al#es more than others. The %ery %al#es in the name o! (hi$h he in%o*es the

a'sol#te are relati%e %al#es) the %al#es o! aestheti$s. An so he t#rns o#t to 'eimitatin&) not Go ,, an here 8 #se "imitate" in its Aristotelian sense ,, '#t theis$iplines an pro$esses o! art an literat#re themsel%es. This is the &enesis o! the"a'stra$t."-1 8n t#rnin& his attention a(ay !rom s#'e$t matter o! $ommone6perien$e) the poet or artist t#rns it in #pon the mei#m o! his o(n $ra!t. Thenonrepresentational or "a'stra$t)" i! it is to ha%e aestheti$ %aliity) $annot 'e ar'itraryan a$$iental) '#t m#st stem !rom o'eien$e to some (orthy $onstraint or ori&inal.This $onstraint) on$e the (orl o! $ommon) e6tro%erte e6perien$e has 'eenreno#n$e) $an only 'e !o#n in the %ery pro$esses or is$iplines 'y (hi$h art anliterat#re ha%e alreay imitate the !ormer. These themsel%es 'e$ome the s#'e$tmatter o! art an literat#re. 8!) to $ontin#e (ith Aristotle) all art an literat#re areimitation) then (hat (e ha%e here is the imitation o! imitatin&. To ?#ote >eats:

D

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Nor is there sin&in& s$hool '#t st#yin& Mon#ments o! its o(n ma&ni!i$en$e.

Pi$asso) Bra?#e) Monrian) Miro) Fanins*y) Bran$#si) e%en Flee) Matisse anCHzanne eri%e their $hie! inspiration !rom the mei#m they (or* in.-2 Thee6$itement o! their art seems to lie most o! all in its p#re preo$$#pation (ith the

in%ention an arran&ement o! spa$es) s#r!a$es) shapes) $olors) et$.) to the e6$l#sion o!(hate%er is not ne$essarily impli$ate in these !a$tors. The attention o! poets li*eRim'a#) MallarmH) alHry) Il#ar) Po#n) 3art Crane) ;te%ens) e%en Ril*e an>eats) appears to 'e $entere on the e!!ort to $reate poetry an on the "moments"themsel%es o! poeti$ $on%ersion) rather than on e6perien$e to 'e $on%erte into

poetry. +! $o#rse) this $annot e6$l#e other preo$$#pations in their (or*) !or poetrym#st eal (ith (ors) an (ors m#st $omm#ni$ate. Certain poets) s#$h as MallarmHan alHry - are more rai$al in this respe$t than others ,, lea%in& asie those poets(ho ha%e trie to $ompose poetry in p#re so#n alone. 3o(e%er) i! it (ere easier toe!ine poetry) moern poetry (o#l 'e m#$h more "p#re" an "a'stra$t." As !or theother !iels o! literat#re ,, the e!inition o! a%ant,&are aestheti$s a%an$e here is noPro$r#stean 'e. B#t asie !rom the !a$t that most o! o#r 'est $ontemporary no%elistsha%e &one to s$hool (ith the a%ant,&are) it is si&ni!i$ant that Gie4s most am'itio#s

'oo* is a no%el a'o#t the (ritin& o! a no%el) an that 9oy$e4s 4lysses an (inne!ans

-ake seem to 'e) a'o%e all) as one 7ren$h $riti$ says) the re#$tion o! e6perien$e toe6pression !or the sa*e o! e6pression) the e6pression matterin& more than (hat is

'ein& e6presse.

That a%ant,&are $#lt#re is the imitation o! imitatin& ,, the !a$t itsel! ,, $alls !or

neither appro%al nor isappro%al. 8t is tr#e that this $#lt#re $ontains (ithin itsel! someo! the %ery Ale6anrianism it see*s to o%er$ome. The lines ?#ote !rom >eatsre!erre to Byzanti#m) (hi$h is %ery $lose to Ale6anria an in a sense this imitationo! imitatin& is a s#perior sort o! Ale6anrianism. B#t there is one most importanti!!eren$e: the a%ant,&are mo%es) (hile Ale6anrianism stans still. An this)

pre$isely) is (hat #sti!ies the a%ant,&are4s methos an ma*es them ne$essary. Thene$essity lies in the !a$t that 'y no other means is it possi'le toay to $reate art anliterat#re o! a hi&h orer. To ?#arrel (ith ne$essity 'y thro(in& a'o#t terms li*e"!ormalism)" "p#rism)" "i%ory to(er" an so !orth is either #ll or ishonest. This is

not to say) ho(e%er) that it is to the social a%anta&e o! the a%ant,&are that it is (hatit is. J#ite the opposite.

The a%ant,&are4s spe$ialization o! itsel!) the !a$t that its 'est artists are artists4 artists)its 'est poets) poets4 poets) has estran&e a &reat many o! those (ho (ere $apa'le!ormerly o! enoyin& an appre$iatin& am'itio#s art an literat#re) '#t (ho are no(#n(illin& or #na'le to a$?#ire an initiation into their $ra!t se$rets. The masses ha%eal(ays remaine more or less ini!!erent to $#lt#re in the pro$ess o! e%elopment.B#t toay s#$h $#lt#re is 'ein& a'anone 'y those to (hom it a$t#ally 'elon&s ,,o#r r#lin& $lass. 7or it is to the latter that the a%ant,&are 'elon&s. No $#lt#re $ane%elop (itho#t a so$ial 'asis) (itho#t a so#r$e o! sta'le in$ome. An in the $ase o!the a%ant,&are) this (as pro%ie 'y an elite amon& the r#lin& $lass o! that so$iety

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!rom (hi$h it ass#me itsel! to 'e $#t o!!) '#t to (hi$h it has al(ays remaineatta$he 'y an #m'ili$al $or o! &ol. The parao6 is real. An no( this elite israpily shrin*in&. ;in$e the a%ant,&are !orms the only li%in& $#lt#re (e no( ha%e)the s#r%i%al in the near !#t#re o! $#lt#re in &eneral is th#s threatene.

=e m#st not 'e e$ei%e 'y s#per!i$ial phenomena an lo$al s#$$esses. Pi$asso4ssho(s still ra( $ro(s) an T. ;. Eliot is ta#&ht in the #ni%ersities the ealers inmoernist art are still in '#siness) an the p#'lishers still p#'lish some "i!!i$#lt"

poetry. B#t the a%ant,&are itsel!) alreay sensin& the an&er) is 'e$omin& more anmore timi e%ery ay that passes. A$aemi$ism an $ommer$ialism are appearin& inthe stran&est pla$es. This $an mean only one thin&: that the a%ant,&are is 'e$omin&#ns#re o! the a#ien$e it epens on ,, the ri$h an the $#lti%ate.

8s it the nat#re itsel! o! a%ant,&are $#lt#re that is alone responsi'le !or the an&er it!ins itsel! in +r is that only a an&ero#s lia'ility Are there other) an perhapsmore important) !a$tors in%ol%e

88

=here there is an a%ant,&are) &enerally (e also !in a rear,&#ar. Tr#e eno#&h ,,sim#ltaneo#sly (ith the entran$e o! the a%ant,&are) a se$on ne( $#lt#ral

phenomenon appeare in the in#strial =est: that thin& to (hi$h the Germans &i%ethe (oner!#l name o! 5itsch: pop#lar) $ommer$ial art an literat#re (ith their$hromeotypes) ma&azine $o%ers) ill#strations) as) sli$* an p#lp !i$tion) $omi$s) Tin

Pan Alley m#si$) tap an$in&) 3olly(oo mo%ies) et$.) et$. 7or some reason this&i&anti$ apparition has al(ays 'een ta*en !or &rante. 8t is time (e loo*e into its(hys an (here!ores.

Fits$h is a pro#$t o! the in#strial re%ol#tion (hi$h #r'anize the masses o!=estern E#rope an Ameri$a an esta'lishe (hat is $alle #ni%ersal litera$y.

Prior to this the only mar*et !or !ormal $#lt#re) as istin&#ishe !rom !ol* $#lt#re)ha 'een amon& those (ho) in aition to 'ein& a'le to rea an (rite) $o#l$omman the leis#re an $om!ort that al(ays &oes han in han (ith $#lti%ation o!some sort. This #ntil then ha 'een ine6tri$a'ly asso$iate (ith litera$y. B#t (ith theintro#$tion o! #ni%ersal litera$y) the a'ility to rea an (rite 'e$ame almost a minors*ill li*e ri%in& a $ar) an it no lon&er ser%e to istin&#ish an ini%i#al4s $#lt#ralin$linations) sin$e it (as no lon&er the e6$l#si%e $on$omitant o! re!ine tastes.

The peasants (ho settle in the $ities as proletariat an petty 'o#r&eois learne torea an (rite !or the sa*e o! e!!i$ien$y) '#t they i not (in the leis#re an $om!ortne$essary !or the enoyment o! the $ity4s traitional $#lt#re. Losin&) ne%ertheless)their taste !or the !ol* $#lt#re (hose 'a$*&ro#n (as the $o#ntrysie) an

is$o%erin& a ne( $apa$ity !or 'oreom at the same time) the ne( #r'an masses set#p a press#re on so$iety to pro%ie them (ith a *in o! $#lt#re !it !or their o(n$ons#mption. To !ill the eman o! the ne( mar*et) a ne( $ommoity (as e%ise:



ersatz $#lt#re) *its$h) estine !or those (ho) insensi'le to the %al#es o! &en#ine$#lt#re) are h#n&ry ne%ertheless !or the i%ersion that only $#lt#re o! some sort $an

pro%ie.

Fits$h) #sin& !or ra( material the e'ase an a$aemi$ize sim#la$ra o! &en#ine

$#lt#re) (el$omes an $#lti%ates this insensi'ility. 8t is the so#r$e o! its pro!its.Fits$h is me$hani$al an operates 'y !orm#las. Fits$h is %i$ario#s e6perien$e an!a*e sensations. Fits$h $han&es a$$orin& to style) '#t remains al(ays the same.Fits$h is the epitome o! all that is sp#rio#s in the li!e o! o#r times. Fits$h pretens toeman nothin& o! its $#stomers e6$ept their money ,, not e%en their time.

The pre$onition !or *its$h) a $onition (itho#t (hi$h *its$h (o#l 'e impossi'le) isthe a%aila'ility $lose at han o! a !#lly mat#re $#lt#ral traition) (hose is$o%eries)a$?#isitions) an per!e$te sel!,$ons$io#sness *its$h $an ta*e a%anta&e o! !or itso(n ens. 8t 'orro(s !rom it e%i$es) tri$*s) strata&ems) r#les o! th#m') themes)$on%erts them into a system) an is$ars the rest. 8t ra(s its li!e 'loo) so to spea*)!rom this reser%oir o! a$$#m#late e6perien$e. This is (hat is really meant (hen it issai that the pop#lar art an literat#re o! toay (ere on$e the arin&) esoteri$ art anliterat#re o! yesteray. +! $o#rse) no s#$h thin& is tr#e. =hat is meant is that (heneno#&h time has elapse the ne( is loote !or ne( "t(ists)" (hi$h are then (atereo(n an ser%e #p as *its$h. ;el!,e%iently) all *its$h is a$aemi$ an $on%ersely)all that4s a$aemi$ is *its$h. 7or (hat is $alle the a$aemi$ as s#$h no lon&er has aninepenent e6isten$e) '#t has 'e$ome the st#!!e,shirt "!ront" !or *its$h. Themethos o! in#strialism ispla$e the hani$ra!ts.

Be$a#se it $an 'e t#rne o#t me$hani$ally) *its$h has 'e$ome an inte&ral part o! o#r pro#$ti%e system in a (ay in (hi$h tr#e $#lt#re $o#l ne%er 'e) e6$ept a$$ientally.8t has 'een $apitalize at a tremeno#s in%estment (hi$h m#st sho( $ommens#rateret#rns it is $ompelle to e6ten as (ell as to *eep its mar*ets. =hile it is essentiallyits o(n salesman) a &reat sales apparat#s has ne%ertheless 'een $reate !or it) (hi$h

'rin&s press#re to 'ear on e%ery mem'er o! so$iety. Traps are lai e%en in thoseareas) so to spea*) that are the preser%es o! &en#ine $#lt#re. 8t is not eno#&h toay) ina $o#ntry li*e o#rs) to ha%e an in$lination to(ars the latter one m#st ha%e a tr#e

passion !or it that (ill &i%e him the po(er to resist the !a*e arti$le that s#rro#nsan presses in on him !rom the moment he is ol eno#&h to loo* at the !#nny papers.Fits$h is e$epti%e. 8t has many i!!erent le%els) an some o! them are hi&h eno#&h to

'e an&ero#s to the nai%e see*er o! tr#e li&ht. A ma&azine li*e the New Yorker )(hi$h is !#namentally hi&h,$lass *its$h !or the l#6#ry trae) $on%erts an (aterso(n a &reat eal o! a%ant,&are material !or its o(n #ses. Nor is e%ery sin&le item o!*its$h alto&ether (orthless. No( an then it pro#$es somethin& o! merit) somethin&that has an a#thenti$ !ol* !la%or an these a$$iental an isolate instan$es ha%e!oole people (ho sho#l *no( 'etter.

Fits$h4s enormo#s pro!its are a so#r$e o! temptation to the a%ant,&are itsel!) an itsmem'ers ha%e not al(ays resiste this temptation. Am'itio#s (riters an artists (ill

1/



moi!y their (or* #ner the press#re o! *its$h) i! they o not s#$$#m' to it entirely.An then those p#zzlin& 'orerline $ases appear) s#$h as the pop#lar no%elist);imenon) in 7ran$e) an ;tein'e$* in this $o#ntry. The net res#lt is al(ays to theetriment o! tr#e $#lt#re in any $ase.

Fits$h has not 'een $on!ine to the $ities in (hi$h it (as 'orn) '#t has !lo(e o#to%er the $o#ntrysie) (ipin& o#t !ol* $#lt#re. Nor has it sho(n any re&ar !or&eo&raphi$al an national $#lt#ral 'o#naries. Another mass pro#$t o! =esternin#strialism) it has &one on a tri#mphal to#r o! the (orl) $ro(in& o#t an e!a$in&nati%e $#lt#res in one $olonial $o#ntry a!ter another) so that it is no( 'y (ay o!

'e$omin& a #ni%ersal $#lt#re) the !irst #ni%ersal $#lt#re e%er 'ehel. Toay the nati%eo! China) no less than the ;o#th Ameri$an 8nian) the 3in#) no less than thePolynesian) ha%e $ome to pre!er to the pro#$ts o! their nati%e art) ma&azine $o%ers)roto&ra%#re se$tions an $alenar &irls. 3o( is this %ir#len$e o! *its$h) thisirresisti'le attra$ti%eness) to 'e e6plaine Nat#rally) ma$hine,mae *its$h $an#nersell the nati%e hanmae arti$le) an the presti&e o! the =est also helps '#t(hy is *its$h a so m#$h more pro!ita'le e6port arti$le than Rem'rant +ne) a!terall) $an 'e repro#$e as $heaply as the other.

8n his last arti$le on the ;o%iet $inema in the 'artisan Re&iew (i&ht Ma$onal points o#t that *its$h has in the last ten years 'e$ome the ominant $#lt#re in ;o%ietR#ssia. 7or this he 'lames the politi$al re&ime ,, not only !or the !a$t that *its$h isthe o!!i$ial $#lt#re) '#t also that it is a$t#ally the ominant) most pop#lar $#lt#re) anhe ?#otes the !ollo(in& !rom F#rt Lonon4s The 1e&en 1o&iet Arts: ". . . the attit#e

o! the masses 'oth to the ol an ne( art styles pro'a'ly remains essentiallyepenent on the nat#re o! the e#$ation a!!ore them 'y their respe$ti%e states."Ma$onal &oes on to say: "=hy a!ter all sho#l i&norant peasants pre!er Repin -aleain& e6ponent o! R#ssian a$aemi$ *its$h in paintin& to Pi$asso) (hose a'stra$tte$hni?#e is at least as rele%ant to their o(n primiti%e !ol* art as is the !ormer4srealisti$ style No) i! the masses $ro( into the Tretya*o% -Mos$o(4s m#se#m o!$ontemporary R#ssian art: *its$h) it is lar&ely 'e$a#se they ha%e 'een $onitione tosh#n 4!ormalism4 an to amire 4so$ialist realism.4"

8n the !irst pla$e it is not a ?#estion o! a $hoi$e 'et(een merely the ol an merelythe ne() as Lonon seems to thin* ,, '#t o! a $hoi$e 'et(een the 'a) #p,to,ate olan the &en#inely ne(. The alternati%e to Pi$asso is not Mi$helan&elo) '#t *its$h. 8nthe se$on pla$e) neither in 'a$*(ar R#ssia nor in the a%an$e =est o the masses

pre!er *its$h simply 'e$a#se their &o%ernments $onition them to(ar it. =here statee#$ational systems ta*e the tro#'le to mention art) (e are tol to respe$t the olmasters) not *its$h an yet (e &o an han& Ma6!iel Parrish or his e?#i%alent on o#r(alls) instea o! Rem'rant an Mi$helan&elo. Moreo%er) as Ma$onal himsel!

points o#t) aro#n 12< (hen the ;o%iet re&ime (as en$o#ra&in& a%ant,&are$inema) the R#ssian masses $ontin#e to pre!er 3olly(oo mo%ies. No)"$onitionin&" oes not e6plain the poten$y o! *its$h.

11



All %al#es are h#man %al#es) relati%e %al#es) in art as (ell as else(here. >et thereoes seem to ha%e 'een more or less o! a &eneral a&reement amon& the $#lti%ate o!man*in o%er the a&es as to (hat is &oo art an (hat 'a. Taste has %arie) '#t not

'eyon $ertain limits $ontemporary $onnoisse#rs a&ree (ith the ei&hteenth,$ent#ry9apanese that 3o*#sai (as one o! the &reatest artists o! his time (e e%en a&ree (ith

the an$ient E&yptians that Thir an 7o#rth ynasty art (as the most (orthy o! 'ein& sele$te as their para&on 'y those (ho $ame a!ter. =e may ha%e $ome to pre!er Giotto to Raphael) '#t (e still o not eny that Raphael (as one o! the 'est painters o! his time. There has 'een an a&reement then) an this a&reement rests) 8 'elie%e) on a !airly $onstant istin$tion mae 'et(een those %al#es only to 'e !o#nin art an the %al#es (hi$h $an 'e !o#n else(here. Fits$h) 'y %irt#e o! a rationalizete$hni?#e that ra(s on s$ien$e an in#stry) has erase this istin$tion in pra$ti$e.

Le!t: Repin) Cossacks Ri&ht: Pia$sso)-oman with a (an

Let #s see) !or e6ample) (hat happens (hen an i&norant R#ssian peasant s#$h asMa$onal mentions stans (ith hypotheti$al !reeom o! $hoi$e 'e!ore t(o

paintin&s) one 'y Pi$asso) the other 'y Repin. 8n the !irst he sees) let #s say) a play o!lines) $olors an spa$es that represent a (oman. The a'stra$t te$hni?#e ,, to a$$eptMa$onal4s s#pposition) (hi$h 8 am in$line to o#'t ,, remins him some(hat o!the i$ons he has le!t 'ehin him in the %illa&e) an he !eels the attra$tion o! the!amiliar. =e (ill e%en s#ppose that he !aintly s#rmises some o! the &reat art %al#esthe $#lti%ate !in in Pi$asso. 3e t#rns ne6t to Repin4s pi$t#re an sees a 'attle s$ene.

The te$hni?#e is not so !amiliar ,, as te$hni?#e. B#t that (ei&hs %ery little (ith the peasant) !or he s#enly is$o%ers %al#es in Repin4s pi$t#re that seem !ar s#perior tothe %al#es he has 'een a$$#stome to !in in i$on art an the #n!amiliar itsel! is oneo! the so#r$es o! those %al#es: the %al#es o! the %i%ily re$o&niza'le) the mira$#lo#san the sympatheti$. 8n Repin4s pi$t#re the peasant re$o&nizes an sees thin&s in the(ay in (hi$h he re$o&nizes an sees thin&s o#tsie o! pi$t#res ,, there is nois$ontin#ity 'et(een art an li!e) no nee to a$$ept a $on%ention an say to onesel!)that i$on represents 9es#s 'e$a#se it intens to represent 9es#s) e%en i! it oes notremin me %ery m#$h o! a man. That Repin $an paint so realisti$ally that

ienti!i$ations are sel!,e%ient immeiately an (itho#t any e!!ort on the part o! thespe$tator ,, that is mira$#lo#s. The peasant is also please 'y the (ealth o! sel!,e%ient meanin&s (hi$h he !ins in the pi$t#re: "it tells a story. " Pi$asso an the

12



i$ons are so a#stere an 'arren in $omparison. =hat is more) Repin hei&htens realityan ma*es it ramati$: s#nset) e6ploin& shells) r#nnin& an !allin& men. There is nolon&er any ?#estion o! Pi$asso or i$ons. Repin is (hat the peasant (ants) an nothin&else '#t Repin. 8t is l#$*y) ho(e%er) !or Repin that the peasant is prote$te !rom the

pro#$ts o! Ameri$an $apitalism) !or he (o#l not stan a $han$e ne6t to a 1at"rday

E&enin! 'ost $o%er 'y Norman Ro$*(ell.

@ltimately) it $an 'e sai that the $#lti%ate spe$tator eri%es the same %al#es !romPi$asso that the peasant &ets !rom Repin) sin$e (hat the latter enoys in Repin issomeho( art too) on ho(e%er lo( a s$ale) an he is sent to loo* at pi$t#res 'y thesame instin$ts that sen the $#lti%ate spe$tator. B#t the #ltimate %al#es (hi$h the$#lti%ate spe$tator eri%es !rom Pi$asso are eri%e at a se$on remo%e) as the res#lto! re!le$tion #pon the immeiate impression le!t 'y the plasti$ %al#es. 8t is only thenthat the re$o&niza'le) the mira$#lo#s an the sympatheti$ enter. They are notimmeiately or e6ternally present in Pi$asso4s paintin&) '#t m#st 'e proe$te into it

'y the spe$tator sensiti%e eno#&h to rea$t s#!!i$iently to plasti$ ?#alities. They 'elon&to the "re!le$te" e!!e$t. 8n Repin) on the other han) the "re!le$te" e!!e$t has alreay

'een in$l#e in the pi$t#re) reay !or the spe$tator4s #nre!le$ti%e enoyment.-0 =here Pi$asso paints $a#se) Repin paints e!!e$t. Repin prei&ests art !or the spe$tatoran spares him e!!ort) pro%ies him (ith a shore $#t to the pleas#re o! art that eto#rs(hat is ne$essarily i!!i$#lt in &en#ine art. Repin) or *its$h) is syntheti$ art.

The same point $an 'e mae (ith respe$t to *its$h literat#re: it pro%ies %i$ario#se6perien$e !or the insensiti%e (ith !ar &reater immeia$y than serio#s !i$tion $an

hope to o. An Eie G#est an the 8nian Lo%e Lyri$s are more poeti$ than T. ;.Eliot an ;ha*espeare.

888

8! the a%ant,&are imitates the pro$esses o! art) *its$h) (e no( see) imitates itse!!e$ts. The neatness o! this antithesis is more than $ontri%e it $orrespons to ane!ines the tremeno#s inter%al that separates !rom ea$h other t(o s#$h sim#ltaneo#s$#lt#ral phenomena as the a%ant,&are an *its$h. This inter%al) too &reat to 'e $lose

'y all the in!inite &raations o! pop#larize "moernism" an "moernisti$" *its$h)$orrespons in t#rn to a so$ial inter%al) a so$ial inter%al that has al(ays e6iste in!ormal $#lt#re) as else(here in $i%ilize so$iety) an (hose t(o termini $on%er&e ani%er&e in !i6e relation to the in$reasin& or e$reasin& sta'ility o! the &i%en so$iety.There has al(ays 'een on one sie the minority o! the po(er!#l ,, an there!ore the$#lti%ate ,, an on the other the &reat mass o! the e6ploite an poor ,, an there!orethe i&norant. 7ormal $#lt#re has al(ays 'elon&e to the !irst) (hile the last ha%e hato $ontent themsel%es (ith !ol* or r#imentary $#lt#re) or *its$h.

8n a sta'le so$iety that !#n$tions (ell eno#&h to hol in sol#tion the $ontrai$tions

'et(een its $lasses) the $#lt#ral i$hotomy 'e$omes some(hat 'l#rre. The a6iomso! the !e( are share 'y the many the latter 'elie%e s#perstitio#sly (hat the !ormer

1





'elie%e so'erly. An at s#$h moments in history the masses are a'le to !eel (oneran amiration !or the $#lt#re) on no matter ho( hi&h a plane) o! its masters. Thisapplies at least to plasti$ $#lt#re) (hi$h is a$$essi'le to all.

8n the Mile A&es the plasti$ artist pai lip ser%i$e at least to the lo(est $ommon

enominators o! e6perien$e. This e%en remaine tr#e to some e6tent #ntil these%enteenth $ent#ry. There (as a%aila'le !or imitation a #ni%ersally %ali $on$ept#alreality) (hose orer the artist $o#l not tamper (ith. The s#'e$t matter o! art (as

pres$ri'e 'y those (ho $ommissione (or*s o! art) (hi$h (ere not $reate) as in 'o#r&eois so$iety) on spe$#lation. Pre$isely 'e$a#se his $ontent (as etermine ina%an$e) the artist (as !ree to $on$entrate on his mei#m. 3e neee not to 'e

philosopher) or %isionary) '#t simply arti!i$er. As lon& as there (as &enerala&reement as to (hat (ere the (orthiest s#'e$ts !or art) the artist (as relie%e o! thene$essity to 'e ori&inal an in%enti%e in his "matter" an $o#l e%ote all his ener&yto !ormal pro'lems. 7or him the mei#m 'e$ame) pri%ately) pro!essionally) the$ontent o! his art) e%en as his mei#m is toay the p#'li$ $ontent o! the a'stra$t

painter4s art ,, (ith that i!!eren$e) ho(e%er) that the meie%al artist ha to s#ppresshis pro!essional preo$$#pation in p#'li$ ,, ha al(ays to s#ppress an s#'orinatethe personal an pro!essional in the !inishe) o!!i$ial (or* o! art. 8!) as an orinarymem'er o! the Christian $omm#nity) he !elt some personal emotion a'o#t his s#'e$tmatter) this only $ontri'#te to the enri$hment o! the (or*4s p#'li$ meanin&. +nly(ith the Renaissan$e o the in!le$tions o! the personal 'e$ome le&itimate) still to 'e*ept) ho(e%er) (ithin the limits o! the simply an #ni%ersally re$o&niza'le. An only(ith Rem'rant o "lonely" artists 'e&in to appear) lonely in their art.

B#t e%en #rin& the Renaissan$e) an as lon& as =estern art (as enea%orin& to per!e$t its te$hni?#e) %i$tories in this realm $o#l only 'e si&nalize 'y s#$$ess inrealisti$ imitation) sin$e there (as no other o'e$ti%e $riterion at han. Th#s themasses $o#l still !in in the art o! their masters o'e$ts o! amiration an (oner.E%en the 'ir that pe$*e at the !r#it in e#6is4 pi$t#re $o#l appla#.

8t is a platit#e that art 'e$omes $a%iar to the &eneral (hen the reality it imitates nolon&er $orrespons e%en ro#&hly to the reality re$o&nize 'y the &eneral. E%en then)

ho(e%er) the resentment the $ommon man may !eel is silen$e 'y the a(e in (hi$hhe stans o! the patrons o! this art. +nly (hen he 'e$omes issatis!ie (ith the so$ialorer they aminister oes he 'e&in to $riti$ize their $#lt#re. Then the ple'ian !ins$o#ra&e !or the !irst time to %oi$e his opinions openly. E%ery man) !rom theTammany alerman to the A#strian ho#se,painter) !ins that he is entitle to hisopinion. Most o!ten this resentment to(ar $#lt#re is to 'e !o#n (here theissatis!a$tion (ith so$iety is a rea$tionary issatis!a$tion (hi$h e6presses itsel! inre%i%alism an p#ritanism) an latest o! all) in !as$ism. 3ere re%ol%ers an tor$hes

'e&in to 'e mentione in the same 'reath as $#lt#re. 8n the name o! &oliness or the 'loo4s health) in the name o! simple (ays an soli %irt#es) the stat#e,smashin&$ommen$es.

10



8

Ret#rnin& to o#r R#ssian peasant !or the moment) let #s s#ppose that a!ter he has$hosen Repin in pre!eren$e to Pi$asso) the state4s e#$ational apparat#s $omes alon&an tells him that he is (ron&) that he sho#l ha%e $hosen Pi$asso ,, an sho(s him

(hy. 8t is ?#ite possi'le !or the ;o%iet state to o this. B#t thin&s 'ein& as they are inR#ssia ,, an e%ery(here else ,, the peasant soon !ins the ne$essity o! (or*in& harall ay !or his li%in& an the r#e) #n$om!orta'le $ir$#mstan$es in (hi$h he li%es onot allo( him eno#&h leis#re) ener&y an $om!ort to train !or the enoyment o!Pi$asso. This nees) a!ter all) a $onsiera'le amo#nt o! "$onitionin&." ;#perior$#lt#re is one o! the most arti!i$ial o! all h#man $reations) an the peasant !ins no"nat#ral" #r&en$y (ithin himsel! that (ill ri%e him to(ar Pi$asso in spite o! alli!!i$#lties. 8n the en the peasant (ill &o 'a$* to *its$h (hen he !eels li*e loo*in& at

pi$t#res) !or he $an enoy *its$h (itho#t e!!ort. The state is helpless in this matter anremains so as lon& as the pro'lems o! pro#$tion ha%e not 'een sol%e in a so$ialistsense. The same hols tr#e) o! $o#rse) !or $apitalist $o#ntries an ma*es all tal* o! art!or the masses there nothin& '#t ema&o&y.-<

=here toay a politi$al re&ime esta'lishes an o!!i$ial $#lt#ral poli$y) it is !or the sa*eo! ema&o&y. 8! *its$h is the o!!i$ial tenen$y o! $#lt#re in Germany) 8taly anR#ssia) it is not 'e$a#se their respe$ti%e &o%ernments are $ontrolle 'y philistines)

'#t 'e$a#se *its$h is the $#lt#re o! the masses in these $o#ntries) as it is e%ery(hereelse. The en$o#ra&ement o! *its$h is merely another o! the ine6pensi%e (ays in(hi$h totalitarian re&imes see* to in&ratiate themsel%es (ith their s#'e$ts. ;in$e

these re&imes $annot raise the $#lt#ral le%el o! the masses ,, e%en i! they (ante to ,, 'y anythin& short o! a s#rrener to international so$ialism) they (ill !latter the masses 'y 'rin&in& all $#lt#re o(n to their le%el. 8t is !or this reason that the a%ant,&are iso#tla(e) an not so m#$h 'e$a#se a s#perior $#lt#re is inherently a more $riti$al$#lt#re. -=hether or not the a%ant,&are $o#l possi'ly !lo#rish #ner a totalitarianre&ime is not pertinent to the ?#estion at this point. As a matter o! !a$t) the maintro#'le (ith a%ant,&are art an literat#re) !rom the point o! %ie( o! !as$ists an;talinists) is not that they are too $riti$al) '#t that they are too "inno$ent)" that it is tooi!!i$#lt to ine$t e!!e$ti%e propa&ana into them) that *its$h is more plia'le to this

en. Fits$h *eeps a i$tator in $loser $onta$t (ith the "so#l" o! the people. ;ho#l theo!!i$ial $#lt#re 'e one s#perior to the &eneral mass,le%el) there (o#l 'e a an&er o!isolation.

Ne%ertheless) i! the masses (ere $on$ei%a'ly to as* !or a%ant,&are art an literat#re)3itler) M#ssolini an ;talin (o#l not hesitate lon& in attemptin& to satis!y s#$h aeman. 3itler is a 'itter enemy o! the a%ant,&are) 'oth on o$trinal an personal&ro#ns) yet this i not pre%ent Goe''els in 12,1 !rom stren#o#sly $o#rtin&a%ant,&are artists an (riters. =hen Gott!rie Benn) an E6pressionist poet) $ameo%er to the Nazis he (as (el$ome (ith a &reat !an!are) altho#&h at that %erymoment 3itler (as eno#n$in& E6pressionism as 5"lt"rbolschewism"s. This (as at atime (hen the Nazis !elt that the presti&e (hi$h the a%ant,&are enoye amon& the

1<





$#lti%ate German p#'li$ $o#l 'e o! a%anta&e to them) an pra$ti$al $onsierationso! this nat#re) the Nazis 'ein& s*ill!#l politi$ians) ha%e al(ays ta*en pre$een$e o%er3itler4s personal in$linations. Later the Nazis realize that it (as more pra$ti$al toa$$ee to the (ishes o! the masses in matters o! $#lt#re than to those o! their

paymasters the latter) (hen it $ame to a ?#estion o! preser%in& po(er) (ere as

(illin& to sa$ri!i$e their $#lt#re as they (ere their moral prin$iples (hile the !ormer) pre$isely 'e$a#se po(er (as 'ein& (ithhel !rom them) ha to 'e $ozene in e%eryother (ay possi'le. 8t (as ne$essary to promote on a m#$h more &raniose style thanin the emo$ra$ies the ill#sion that the masses a$t#ally r#le. The literat#re an artthey enoy an #nerstan (ere to 'e pro$laime the only tr#e art an literat#re anany other *in (as to 'e s#ppresse. @ner these $ir$#mstan$es people li*e Gott!rieBenn) no matter ho( arently they s#pport 3itler) 'e$ome a lia'ility an (e hear nomore o! them in Nazi Germany.

=e $an see then that altho#&h !rom one point o! %ie( the personal philistinism o!3itler an ;talin is not a$$iental to the roles they play) !rom another point o! %ie( itis only an in$ientally $ontri'#tory !a$tor in eterminin& the $#lt#ral poli$ies o! theirrespe$ti%e re&imes. Their personal philistinism simply as 'r#tality an o#'le,ar*ness to poli$ies they (o#l 'e !or$e to s#pport anyho( 'y the press#re o! alltheir other poli$ies ,, e%en (ere they) personally) e%otees o! a%ant,&are $#lt#re.=hat the a$$eptan$e o! the isolation o! the R#ssian Re%ol#tion !or$es ;talin to o)3itler is $ompelle to o 'y his a$$eptan$e o! the $ontrai$tions o! $apitalism an hise!!orts to !reeze them. As !or M#ssolini ,, his $ase is a per!e$t e6ample o! thedis#onsibilit6 o! a realist in these matters. 7or years he 'ent a 'ene%olent eye on the

7#t#rists an '#ilt moernisti$ railroa stations an &o%ernment,o(ne apartmentho#ses. +ne $an still see in the s#'#r's o! Rome more moernisti$ apartments thanalmost any(here else in the (orl. Perhaps 7as$ism (ante to sho( its #p,to,ateness) to $on$eal the !a$t that it (as a retro&ression perhaps it (ante to $on!ormto the tastes o! the (ealthy elite it ser%e. At any rate M#ssolini seems to ha%erealize lately that it (o#l 'e more #se!#l to him to please the $#lt#ral tastes o! the8talian masses than those o! their masters. The masses m#st 'e pro%ie (ith o'e$tso! amiration an (oner the latter $an ispense (ith them. An so (e !inM#ssolini anno#n$in& a "ne( 8mperial style." Marinetti) Chiri$o) et al .) are sent into

the o#ter ar*ness) an the ne( railroa station in Rome (ill not 'e moernisti$. ThatM#ssolini (as late in $omin& to this only ill#strates a&ain the relati%e hesitan$e (ith(hi$h 8talian 7as$ism has ra(n the ne$essary impli$ations o! its role.

Capitalism in e$line !ins that (hate%er o! ?#ality it is still $apa'le o! pro#$in& 'e$omes almost in%aria'ly a threat to its o(n e6isten$e. A%an$es in $#lt#re) no lessthan a%an$es in s$ien$e an in#stry) $orroe the %ery so$iety #ner (hose ae&isthey are mae possi'le. 3ere) as in e%ery other ?#estion toay) it 'e$omes ne$essaryto ?#ote Mar6 (or !or (or. Toay (e no lon&er loo* to(ar so$ialism !or a ne(

$#lt#re ,, as ine%ita'ly as one (ill appear) on$e (e o ha%e so$ialism. Toay (e loo*to so$ialism simply !or the preser%ation o! (hate%er li%in& $#lt#re (e ha%e ri&ht no(.

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1. The e6ample o! m#si$) (hi$h has lon& 'een an a'stra$t art) an (hi$h a%ant,&are poetry hastrie so m#$h to em#late) is interestin&. M#si$) Aristotle sai $#rio#sly eno#&h) is the mostimitati%e an %i%i o! all arts 'e$a#se it imitates its ori&inal ,, the state o! the so#l ,, (ith the&reatest immeia$y. Toay this stri*es #s as the e6a$t opposite o! the tr#th) 'e$a#se no art seems to#s to ha%e less re!eren$e to somethin& o#tsie itsel! than m#si$. 3o(e%er) asie !rom the !a$t that ina sense Aristotle may still 'e ri&ht) it m#st 'e e6plaine that an$ient Gree* m#si$ (as $losely

asso$iate (ith poetry) an epene #pon its $hara$ter as an a$$essory to %erse to ma*e itsimitati%e meanin& $lear. Plato) spea*in& o! m#si$) says: "7or (hen there are no (ors) it is %eryi!!i$#lt o re$o&nize the meanin& o! the harmony an rhythm) or to see that any (orthy o'e$t isimitate 'y them." As !ar as (e *no() all m#si$ ori&inally ser%e s#$h an a$$essory !#n$tion. +n$e)ho(e%er) it (as a'anone) m#si$ (as !or$e to (ithra( into itsel! to !in a $onstraint or ori&inal.This is !o#n in the %ario#s means o! its o(n $omposition an per!orman$e.

2. 8 o(e this !orm#lation to a remar* mae 'y 3ans 3o!mann) the art tea$her) in one o! his le$t#res.7rom the point o! %ie( o! this !orm#lation) ;#rrealism in plasti$ art is a rea$tionary tenen$y (hi$his attemptin& to restore "o#tsie" s#'e$t matter. The $hie! $on$ern o! a painter li*e ali is torepresent the pro$esses an $on$epts o! his $ons$io#sness) not the pro$esses o! his mei#m.

. ;ee alHry4s remar*s a'o#t his o(n poetry.

0. T. ;. Eliot sai somethin& to the same e!!e$t in a$$o#ntin& !or the short$omin&s o! En&lishRomanti$ poetry. 8nee the Romanti$s $an 'e $onsiere the ori&inal sinners (hose &#ilt *its$hinherite. They sho(e *its$h ho(. =hat oes Feats (rite a'o#t mainly) i! not the e!!e$t o! poetry#pon himsel!

<. 8t (ill 'e o'e$te that s#$h art !or the masses as !ol* art (as e%elope #ner r#imentary$onitions o! pro#$tion ,, an that a &oo eal o! !ol* art is on a hi&h le%el. >es it is ,, '#t !ol* artis not Athene) an it4s Athene (hom (e (ant: !ormal $#lt#re (ith its in!inity o! aspe$ts) itsl#6#rian$e) its lar&e $omprehension. Besies) (e are no( tol that most o! (hat (e $onsier &ooin !ol* $#lt#re is the stati$ s#r%i%al o! ea !ormal) aristo$rati$) $#lt#res. +#r ol En&lish 'allas)!or instan$e) (ere not $reate 'y the "!ol*)" '#t 'y the post,!e#al s?#irear$hy o! the En&lish$o#ntrysie) to s#r%i%e in the mo#ths o! the !ol* lon& a!ter those !or (hom the 'allas (ere$ompose ha &one on to other !orms o! literat#re. @n!ort#nately) #ntil the ma$hine a&e) $#lt#re(as the e6$l#si%e prero&ati%e o! a so$iety that li%e 'y the la'or o! ser!s or sla%es. They (ere thereal sym'ols o! $#lt#re. 7or one man to spen time an ener&y $reatin& or listenin& to poetry meantthat another man ha to pro#$e eno#&h to *eep himsel! ali%e an the !ormer in $om!ort. 8n A!ri$atoay (e !in that the $#lt#re o! sla%e,o(nin& tri'es is &enerally m#$h s#perior to that o! the tri'esthat possess no sla%es

1D



CLEMENT GREENBERG

Moernist Paintin& (or"m Lect"res -=ashin&ton) . C.: oi$e o! Ameri$a) 15/

Arts Yearbook 0) 151 -#nre%ise Art and Literat"re) ;prin& 15< -sli&htly re%ise

The New Art: A Critical Antholo!y) e. Gre&ory Batt$o$*) 155 'eint"re%cahiers th6ori7"es) no. K,) 8D0 -title " La #eint"re moderniste"

Esthetics Contem#orary) e. Ri$har Fostelanetz) 1DK Modern Art and Modernism: A Critical Antholo!y. e. 7ran$is 7ras$ina an Charles 3arrison)

1K2.

Green'er&4s !irst essay on moernism) $lari!yin& many o! the ieas impli$it in"A%ant,Gare an Fits$h") his &ro#n'rea*in& essay (ritten t(o e$aes earlier.Altho#&h he later $ame to ree$t it) in its se$on parap&raph he o!!ers (hat may 'ethe most ele&ant e!inition moernism e6tant:

$$$ the "se of characteristic methods of a disci#line to critici8e the disci#line itself notin order to s"b&ert it b"t in order to entrench it more firmly in its area of

com#etence$

The essay is nota'le !or its ill#minatin& -an lar&ely #ne%elope o'ser%ations a'o#tthe nat#re an history o! pi$t#res) let alone Green'er&4s mi,li!e per$eption o! the$hara$ter an importan$e o! the a%ant,&are. 8! the theory has a (ea*ness) it lies (iththe $entrality o! pi$torial art) (hi$h it seems to !it moernism li*e a &lo%e. 3o( m#$hit e6tene to other art meia) let alone other is$iplines) is e'ata'le. Green'er&4s

1DK post,s$ript remains rele%ant.%% T(

1K




Moernism in$l#es more than art an literat#re. By no( it $o%ers almost the (holeo! (hat is tr#ly ali%e in o#r $#lt#re. 8t happens) ho(e%er) to 'e %ery m#$h o! ahistori$al no%elty. =estern $i%ilization is not the !irst $i%ilization to t#rn aro#n an?#estion its o(n !o#nations) '#t it is the one that has &one !#rthest in oin& so. 8ienti!y Moernism (ith the intensi!i$ation) almost the e6a$er'ation) o! this sel!,

$riti$al tenen$y that 'e&an (ith the philosopher Fant. Be$a#se he (as the !irst to$riti$ize the means itsel! o! $riti$ism) 8 $on$ei%e o! Fant as) the !irst real Moernist.

The essen$e o! Moernism lies) as 8 see it) in the #se o! $hara$teristi$ methos o! ais$ipline to $riti$ize the is$ipline itsel!) not in orer to s#'%ert it '#t in orer toentren$h it more !irmly in its area o! $ompeten$e. Fant #se lo&i$ to esta'lish thelimits o! lo&i$) an (hile he (ithre( m#$h !rom its ol #risi$tion) lo&i$ (as le!tall the more se$#re in (hat there remaine to it.

The sel!,$riti$ism o! Moernism &ro(s o#t o!) '#t is not the same thin& as) the$riti$ism o! the Enli&htenment. The Enli&htenment $riti$ize !rom the o#tsie) the(ay $riti$ism in its a$$epte sense oes Moernism $riti$izes !rom the insie)thro#&h the pro$e#res themsel%es o! that (hi$h is 'ein& $riti$ize. 8t seems nat#ralthat this ne( *in o! $riti$ism sho#l ha%e appeare !irst in philosophy) (hi$h is$riti$al 'y e!inition) '#t as the 1Kth $ent#ry (ore on) it entere many other !iels. Amore rational #sti!i$ation ha 'e&#n to 'e emane o! e%ery !ormal so$ial a$ti%ity)an Fantian sel!,$riti$ism) (hi$h ha arisen in philosophy in ans(er to this emanin the !irst pla$e) (as $alle on e%ent#ally to meet an interpret it in areas that lay !ar!rom philosophy.

=e *no( (hat has happene to an a$ti%ity li*e reli&ion) (hi$h $o#l not a%ail itsel!o! Fantian) immanent) $riti$ism in orer to #sti!y itsel!. At !irst &lan$e the arts mi&htseem to ha%e 'een in a sit#ation li*e reli&ion4s. 3a%in& 'een enie 'y theEnli&htenment all tas*s they $o#l ta*e serio#sly) they loo*e as tho#&h they (ere&oin& to 'e assimilate to entertainment p#re an simple) an entertainment itsel!loo*e as tho#&h it (ere &oin& to 'e assimilate) li*e reli&ion) to therapy. The arts$o#l sa%e themsel%es !rom this le%elin& o(n only 'y emonstratin& that the *in o!e6perien$e they pro%ie (as %al#a'le in its o(n ri&ht an not to 'e o'taine !rom

any other *in o! a$ti%ity.Ea$h art) it t#rne o#t) ha to per!orm this emonstration on its o(n a$$o#nt. =hatha to 'e e6hi'ite (as not only that (hi$h (as #ni?#e an irre#$i'le in art in&eneral) '#t also that (hi$h (as #ni?#e an irre#$i'le in ea$h parti$#lar art. Ea$h artha to etermine) thro#&h its o(n operations an (or*s) the e!!e$ts e6$l#si%e toitsel!. By oin& so it (o#l) to 'e s#re) narro( its area o! $ompeten$e) '#t at the sametime it (o#l ma*e its possession o! that area all the more $ertain.

8t ?#i$*ly emer&e that the #ni?#e an proper area o! $ompeten$e o! ea$h art

$oin$ie (ith all that (as #ni?#e in the nat#re o! its mei#m. The tas* o! sel!,$riti$ism 'e$ame to eliminate !rom the spe$i!i$ e!!e$ts o! ea$h art any an e%ery

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e!!e$t that mi&ht $on$ei%a'ly 'e 'orro(e !rom or 'y the mei#m o! any other art.Th#s (o#l ea$h art 'e renere "p#re)" an in its "p#rity" !in the &#arantee o! itsstanars o! ?#ality as (ell as o! its inepenen$e. "P#rity" meant sel!,e!inition) anthe enterprise o! sel!,$riti$ism in the arts 'e$ame one o! sel!,e!inition (ith a%en&ean$e.

Realisti$) nat#ralisti$ art ha issem'le the mei#m) #sin& art to $on$eal artMoernism #se art to $all attention to art. The limitations that $onstit#te the mei#mo! paintin& ,, the !lat s#r!a$e) the shape o! the s#pport) the properties o! the pi&ment,, (ere treate 'y the +l Masters as ne&ati%e !a$tors that $o#l 'e a$*no(le&eonly impli$itly or inire$tly. @ner Moernism these same limitations $ame to 'ere&are as positi%e !a$tors) an (ere a$*no(le&e openly. Manet4s 'e$ame the !irstMoernist pi$t#res 'y %irt#e o! the !ran*ness (ith (hi$h they e$lare the !lats#r!a$es on (hi$h they (ere painte. The 8mpressionists) in Manet4s (a*e) a'#re#nerpaintin& an &lazes) to lea%e the eye #ner no o#'t as to the !a$t that the $olorsthey #se (ere mae o! paint that $ame !rom t#'es or pots. CHzanne sa$ri!i$e%erisimilit#e) or $orre$tness) in orer to !it his ra(in& an esi&n more e6pli$itly tothe re$tan&#lar shape o! the $an%as.

8t (as the stressin& o! the inel#$ta'le !latness o! the s#r!a$e that remaine) ho(e%er)more !#namental than anythin& else to the pro$esses 'y (hi$h pi$torial art $riti$izean e!ine itsel! #ner Moernism. 7or !latness alone (as #ni?#e an e6$l#si%e to

pi$torial art. The en$losin& shape o! the pi$t#re (as a limitin& $onition) or norm)that (as share (ith the art o! the theater $olor (as a norm an a means share not

only (ith the theater) '#t also (ith s$#lpt#re. Be$a#se !latness (as the only $onition paintin& share (ith no other art) Moernist paintin& oriente itsel! to !latness as iti to nothin& else.

The +l Masters ha sense that it (as ne$essary to preser%e (hat is $alle theinte&rity o! the pi$t#re plane: that is) to si&ni!y the en#rin& presen$e o! !latness#nerneath an a'o%e the most %i%i ill#sion o! three,imensional spa$e. Theapparent $ontrai$tion in%ol%e (as essential to the s#$$ess o! their art) as it is ineeto the s#$$ess o! all pi$torial art. The Moernists ha%e neither a%oie nor resol%e

this $ontrai$tion rather) they ha%e re%erse its terms. +ne is mae a(are o! the!latness o! their pi$t#res 'e!ore) instea o! a!ter) 'ein& mae a(are o! (hat the!latness $ontains. =hereas one tens to see (hat is in an +l Master 'e!ore one seesthe pi$t#re itsel!) one sees a Moernist pi$t#re as a pi$t#re !irst. This is) o! $o#rse) the

'est (ay o! seein& any *in o! pi$t#re) +l Master or Moernist) '#t Moernismimposes it as the only an ne$essary (ay) an Moernism4s s#$$ess in oin& so is as#$$ess o! sel!,$riti$ism.

Moernist paintin& in its latest phase has not a'anone the representation o!re$o&niza'le o'e$ts in prin$iple. =hat it has a'anone in prin$iple is therepresentation o! the *in o! spa$e that re$o&niza'le o'e$ts $an inha'it.A'stra$tness) or the non,!i&#rati%e) has in itsel! still not pro%e to 'e an alto&ether

2/



ne$essary moment in the sel!,$riti$ism o! pi$torial art) e%en tho#&h artists as eminentas Fanins*y an Monrian ha%e tho#&ht so. As s#$h) representation) or ill#stration)oes not attain the #ni?#eness o! pi$torial art (hat oes o so is the asso$iations o!thin&s represente. All re$o&niza'le entities -in$l#in& pi$t#res themsel%es e6ist inthree,imensional spa$e) an the 'arest s#&&estion o! a re$o&niza'le entity s#!!!i$es

to $all #p asso$iations o! that *in o! spa$e. The !ra&mentary silho#ette o! a h#man!i&#re) or o! a tea$#p) (ill o so) an 'y oin& so alienate pi$torial spa$e !rom theliteral t(o,imensionality (hi$h is the &#arantee o! paintin&4s inepenen$e as an art.7or) as has alreay 'een sai) three,imensionality is the pro%in$e o! s$#lpt#re. Toa$hie%e a#tonomy) paintin& has ha a'o%e all to i%est itsel! o! e%erythin& it mi&htshare (ith s$#lpt#re) an it is in its e!!ort to o this) an not so m#$h ,, 8 repeat ,, toe6$l#e the representational or literary) that paintin& has mae itsel! a'stra$t.

At the same time) ho(e%er) Moernist paintin& sho(s) pre$isely 'y its resistan$e tothe s$#lpt#ral) ho( !irmly atta$he it remains to traition 'eneath an 'eyon allappearan$es to the $ontrary. 7or the resistan$e to the s$#lpt#ral ates !ar 'a$* 'e!orethe a%ent o! Moernism. =estern paintin&) in so !ar as it is nat#ralisti$) o(es a &reate't to s$#lpt#re) (hi$h ta#&ht it in the 'e&innin& ho( to shae an moel !or theill#sion o! relie!) an e%en ho( to ispose that ill#sion in a $omplementary ill#sion o!eep spa$e. >et some o! the &reatest !eats o! =estern paintin& are #e to the e!!ort ithas mae o%er the last !o#r $ent#ries to ri itsel! o! the s$#lpt#ral. ;tartin& in eni$ein the 15th $ent#ry an $ontin#in& in ;pain) Bel&i#m) an 3ollan in the 1Dth) thate!!ort (as $arrie on at !irst in the name o! $olor. =hen a%i) in the 1Kth $ent#ry)trie to re%i%e s$#lpt#ral paintin&) it (as) in part) to sa%e pi$torial art !rom the

e$orati%e !lattenin&,o#t that the emphasis on $olor seeme to in#$e. >et thestren&th o! a%i4s o(n 'est pi$t#res) (hi$h are preominantly his in!ormal ones) liesas m#$h in their $olor as in anythin& else. An 8n&res) his !aith!#l p#pil) tho#&h hes#'orinate $olor !ar more $onsistently than i a%i) e6e$#te portraits that (ereamon& the !lattest) least s$#lpt#ral paintin&s one in the =est 'y a sophisti$ate artistsin$e the 80th $ent#ry. Th#s) 'y the mile o! the 1th $ent#ry) all am'itio#stenen$ies in paintin& ha $on%er&e ami their i!!eren$es) in an anti,s$#lpt#ralire$tion.

Moernism) as (ell as $ontin#in& this ire$tion) has mae it more $ons$io#s o! itsel!.=ith Manet an the 8mpressionists the ?#estion stoppe 'ein& e!ine as one o! $olor%ers#s ra(in&) an 'e$ame one o! p#rely opti$al e6perien$e a&ainst opti$ale6perien$e as re%ise or moi!ie 'y ta$tile asso$iations. 8t (as in the name o! the

p#rely an literally opti$al) not in the name o! $olor) that the 8mpressionists setthemsel%es to #nerminin& shain& an moelin& an e%erythin& else in paintin& thatseeme to $onnote the s$#lpt#ral. 8t (as) on$e a&ain) in the name o! the s$#lpt#ral)(ith its shain& an moelin&) that CHzanne) an the C#'ists a!ter him) rea$tea&ainst 8mpressionism) as a%i ha rea$te a&ainst 7ra&onar. B#t on$e more) #st

as a%i4s an 8n&res4 rea$tion ha $#lminate) parao6i$ally) in a *in o! paintin&e%en less s$#lpt#ral than 'e!ore) so the C#'ist $o#nter,re%ol#tion e%ent#ate in a *in

21



o! paintin& !latter than anythin& in =estern art sin$e 'e!ore Giotto an Cima'#e ,, so!lat inee that it $o#l harly $ontain re$o&niza'le ima&es.

8n the meantime the other $arinal norms o! the art o! paintin& ha 'e&#n) (ith theonset o! Moernism) to #ner&o a re%ision that (as e?#ally thoro#&h i! not as

spe$ta$#lar. 8t (o#l ta*e me more time than is at my isposal to sho( ho( the normo! the pi$t#re4s en$losin& shape) or !rame) (as loosene) then ti&htene) thenloosene on$e a&ain) an isolate) an then ti&htene on$e more) 'y s#$$essi%e&enerations o! Moernist painters. +r ho( the norms o! !inish an paint te6t#re) ano! %al#e an $olor $ontrast) (ere re%ise an rere%ise. Ne( ris*s ha%e 'een ta*en(ith all these norms) not only in the interests o! e6pression '#t also in orer to e6hi'itthem more $learly as norms. By 'ein& e6hi'ite) they are teste !or theirinispensa'ility. That testin& is 'y no means !inishe) an the !a$t that it 'e$omeseeper as it pro$ees a$$o#nts !or the rai$al simpli!i$ations that are also to 'e seenin the %ery latest a'stra$t paintin&) as (ell as !or the rai$al $ompli$ations that arealso seen in it.

Neither e6treme is a matter o! $apri$e or ar'itrariness. +n the $ontrary) the more$losely the norms o! a is$ipline 'e$ome e!ine) the less !reeom they are apt to

permit in many ire$tions. The essential norms or $on%entions o! paintin& are a thesame time the limitin& $onitions (ith (hi$h a pi$t#re m#st $omply in orer to 'ee6perien$e as a pi$t#re. Moernism has !o#n that these limits $an 'e p#she 'a$*ine!initely ,, 'e!ore a pi$t#re stops 'ein& a pi$t#re an t#rns into an ar'itrary o'e$t

'#t it has also !o#n that the !#rther 'a$* these limits are p#she the more e6pli$itlythey ha%e to 'e o'ser%e an ini$ate. The $riss$rossin& 'la$* lines an $olorere$tan&les o! a Monrian paintin& seem harly eno#&h to ma*e a pi$t#re o#t o!) yetthey impose the pi$t#re4s !ramin& shape as a re&#latin& norm (ith a ne( !or$e an

$ompleteness 'y e$hoin& that shape so $losely. 7ar !rom in$#rrin& the an&er o!ar'itrariness) Monrian4s art pro%es) as time passes) almost too is$ipline) almost too

22



traition, an $on%ention,'o#n in $ertain respe$ts on$e (e ha%e &otten #se to its#tter a'stra$tness) (e realize that it is more $onser%ati%e in its $olor) !or instan$e) as(ell as in its s#'ser%ien$e to the !rame) than the last paintin&s o! Monet.

8t is #nerstoo) 8 hope) that in plottin& o#t the rationale o! Moernist paintin& 8 ha%e

ha to simpli!y an e6a&&erate. The !latness to(ars (hi$h Moernist paintin&orients itsel! $an ne%er 'e an a'sol#te !latness. The hei&htene sensiti%ity o! the pi$t#re plane may no lon&er permit s$#lpt#ral ill#sion) or trom#e%l9oeil ) '#t it oesan m#st permit opti$al ill#sion. The !irst mar* mae on a $an%as estroys its literalan #tter !latness) an the res#lt o! the mar*s mae on it 'y an artist li*e Monrian isstill a *in o! ill#sion that s#&&ests a *in o! thir imension. +nly no( it is a stri$tly

pi$torial) stri$tly opti$al thir imension. The +l Masters $reate an ill#sion i o!spa$e in epth that one $o#l ima&ine onesel! (al*in& into) '#t the analo&o#s ill#sion$reate 'y the Moernist painter $an only 'e seen into $an 'e tra%ele thro#&h)literally or !i&#rati%ely) only (ith the eye.

The latest a'stra$t paintin& tries to !#l!ill the 8mpressionist insisten$e on the opti$al asthe only sense that a $ompletely an ?#intessentially pi$torial art $an in%o*e.Realizin& this) one 'e&ins also to realize that the 8mpressionists) or at least the Neo,8mpressionists) (ere not alto&ether mis&#ie (hen they !lirte (ith s$ien$e. Fantiansel!,$riti$ism) as it no( t#rns o#t) has !o#n its !#llest e6pression in s$ien$e ratherthan in philosophy) an (hen it 'e&an to 'e applie in art) the latter (as 'ro#&ht$loser in real spirit to s$ienti!i$ metho than e%er 'e!ore ,, $loser than it ha 'een 'yAl'erti) @$$ello) Piero ella 7ran$es$a) or Leonaro in the Renaissan$e. That %is#al

art sho#l $on!ine itsel! e6$l#si%ely to (hat is &i%en in %is#al e6perien$e) an ma*eno re!eren$e to anythin& &i%en in any other orer o! e6perien$e) is a notion (hoseonly #sti!i$ation lies in s$ienti!i$ $onsisten$y.

;$ienti!i$ metho alone as*s) or mi&ht as*) that a sit#ation 'e resol%e in e6a$tly thesame terms as that in (hi$h it is presente. B#t this *in o! $onsisten$y promisesnothin& in the (ay o! aestheti$ ?#ality) an the !a$t that the 'est art o! the last se%entyor ei&hty years approa$hes $loser an $loser to s#$h $onsisten$y oes not sho( the$ontrary. 7rom the point o! %ie( o! art in itsel!) its $on%er&en$e (ith s$ien$e happens

to 'e a mere a$$ient) an neither art nor s$ien$e really &i%es or ass#res the other o!anythin& more than it e%er i. =hat their $on%er&en$e oes sho() ho(e%er) is the pro!o#n e&ree to (hi$h Moernist art 'elon&s to the same spe$i!i$ $#lt#raltenen$y as moern s$ien$e) an this is o! the hi&hest si&ni!i$an$e as a histori$al !a$t.

8t sho#l also 'e #nerstoo that sel!,$riti$ism in Moernist art has ne%er 'een$arrie on in any '#t a spontaneo#s an lar&ely s#'liminal (ay. As 8 ha%e alreayini$ate) it has 'een alto&ether a ?#estion o! pra$ti$e) immanent to pra$ti$e) anne%er a topi$ o! theory. M#$h is hear a'o#t pro&rams in $onne$tion (ith Moernistart) '#t there has a$t#ally 'een !ar less o! the pro&rammati$ in Moernist than inRenaissan$e or A$aemi$ paintin&. =ith a !e( e6$eptions li*e Monrian) the masterso! Moernism ha%e ha no more !i6e ieas a'o#t art than Corot i. Certain

2



in$linations) $ertain a!!irmations an emphases) an $ertain re!#sals an a'stinen$esas (ell) seem to 'e$ome ne$essary simply 'e$a#se the (ay to stron&er) moree6pressi%e art lies thro#&h them. The immeiate aims o! the Moernists (ere) anremain) personal 'e!ore anythin& else) an the tr#th an s#$$ess o! their (or*s remain

personal 'e!ore anythin& else. An it has ta*en the a$$#m#lation) o%er e$aes) o! a

&oo eal o! personal paintin& to re%eal the &eneral sel!,$riti$al tenen$y o!Moernist paintin&. No artist (as) or yet is) a(are o! it) nor $o#l any artist e%er(or* !reely in a(areness o! it. To this e6tent ,, an it is a &reat e6tent ,, art &ets$arrie on #ner Moernism in m#$h the same (ay as 'e!ore.

An 8 $annot insist eno#&h that Moernism has ne%er meant) an oes not mean no()anythin& li*e a 'rea* (ith the past. 8t may mean a e%ol#tion) an #nra%elin&) o!traition) '#t it also means its !#rther e%ol#tion. Moernist art $ontin#es the past(itho#t &ap or 'rea*) an (here%er it may en #p it (ill ne%er $ease 'ein&intelli&i'le in terms o! the past. The ma*in& o! pi$t#res has 'een $ontrolle) sin$e it!irst 'e&an) 'y all the norms 8 ha%e mentione. The Paleolithi$ painter or en&ra%er$o#l isre&ar the norm o! the !rame an treat the s#r!a$e in a literally s$#lpt#ral(ay only 'e$a#se he mae ima&es rather than pi$t#res) an (or*e on a s#pport ,, aro$* (all) a 'one) a horn) or a stone ,, (hose limits an s#r!a$e (ere ar'itrarily &i%en

'y nat#re. B#t the ma*in& o! pi$t#res means) amon& other thin&s) the eli'erate$reatin& or $hoosin& o! a !lat s#r!a$e) an the eli'erate $ir$#ms$ri'in& an limitin&o! it. This eli'erateness is pre$isely (hat Moernist paintin& harps on: the !a$t) thatis) that the limitin& $onitions o! art are alto&ether h#man $onitions.

B#t 8 (ant to repeat that Moernist art oes not o!!er theoreti$al emonstrations. 8t$an 'e sai) rather) that it happens to $on%ert theoreti$al possi'ilities into empiri$alones) in oin& (hi$h it tests many theories a'o#t art !or their rele%an$e to the a$t#al

pra$ti$e an a$t#al e6perien$e o! art. 8n this respe$t alone $an Moernism 'e$onsiere s#'%ersi%e. Certain !a$tors (e #se to thin* essential to the ma*in& ane6perien$in& o! art are sho(n not to 'e so 'y the !a$t that Moernist paintin& has

'een a'le to ispense (ith them an yet $ontin#e to o!!er the e6perien$e o! art in allits essentials. The !#rther !a$t that this emonstration has le!t most o! o#r ol %al#e

#&ments inta$t only ma*es it the more $on$l#si%e. Moernism may ha%e ha

somethin& to o (ith the re%i%al o! the rep#tations o! @$$ello) Piero ella 7ran$es$a)El Gre$o) Geor&es e la To#r) an e%en ermeer an Moernism $ertainly$on!irme) i! it i not start) the re%i%al o! Giotto4s rep#tation '#t it has not lo(erethere'y the stanin& o! Leonaro) Raphael) Titian) R#'ens) Rem'rant) or =attea#.=hat Moernism has sho(n is that) tho#&h the past i appre$iate these masters

#stly) it o!ten &a%e (ron& or irrele%ant reasons !or oin& so.

8n some (ays this sit#ation is harly $han&e toay. Art $riti$ism an art history la& 'ehin Moernism as they la&&e 'ehin pre,Moernist art. Most o! the thin&s that&et (ritten a'o#t Moernist art still 'elon& to o#rnalism rather than to $riti$ism orart history. 8t 'elon&s to o#rnalism ,, an to the millennial $omple6 !rom (hi$h somany o#rnalists an o#rnalist intelle$t#als s#!!er in o#r ay ,, that ea$h ne( phase

20



o! Moernist art sho#l 'e haile as the start o! a (hole ne( epo$h in art) mar*in& ae$isi%e 'rea* (ith all the $#stoms an $on%entions o! the past. Ea$h time) a *in o!art is e6pe$te so #nli*e all pre%io#s *ins o! art) an so !ree !rom norms o! pra$ti$eor taste) that e%ery'oy) re&arless o! ho( in!orme or #nin!orme he happens to 'e)$an ha%e his say a'o#t it. An ea$h time) this e6pe$tation has 'een isappointe) as

the phase o! Moernist art in ?#estion !inally ta*es its pla$e in the intelli&i'le$ontin#ity o! taste an traition.

Nothin& $o#l 'e !#rther !rom the a#thenti$ art o! o#r time than the iea o! a r#pt#reo! $ontin#ity. Art is ,, amon& other thin&s ,, $ontin#ity) an #nthin*a'le (itho#t it.La$*in& the past o! art) an the nee an $omp#lsion to maintain its stanars o!e6$ellen$e) Moernist art (o#l la$* 'oth s#'stan$e an #sti!i$ation.

Posts$ript -1DK

The a'o%e appeare !irst in 15/ as a pamphlet in a series p#'lishe 'y the oi$e o!Ameri$a. 8t ha 'een 'roa$ast o%er that a&en$y4s raio in the sprin& o! the sameyear. =ith some minor %er'al $han&es it (as reprinte in the sprin& 15< n#m'er o!Art an Literat#re in Paris) an then in Gre&ory Batt$o$*4s antholo&y The New Art

-155.

8 (ant to ta*e this $han$e to $orre$t an error) one o! interpretation an not o! !a$t.Many reaers) tho#&h 'y no means all) seem to ha%e ta*en the 4rationale4 o!

Moernist art o#tline here as representin& a position aopte 'y the (riter himsel!that is) that (hat he es$ri'es he also a%o$ates. This may 'e a !a#lt o! the (ritin& orthe rhetori$. Ne%ertheless) a $lose reain& o! (hat he (rites (ill !in nothin& at all toini$ate that he s#'s$ri'es to) 'elie%es in) the thin&s that he a#m'rates. -The?#otation mar*s aro#n p#re an p#rity sho#l ha%e 'een eno#&h to sho( that. The(riter is tryin& to a$$o#nt in part !or ho( most o! the %ery 'est art o! the lasth#nre,o years $ame a'o#t) '#t he4s not implyin& that that4s ho( it had to $omea'o#t) m#$h less that that4s ho( the 'est art still has to $ome a'o#t. 4P#re4 art (as a#se!#l ill#sion) '#t this oesn4t ma*e it any the less an ill#sion. Nor oes the

possi'ility o! its $ontin#in& #se!#lness ma*e it any the less an ill#sion.

There ha%e 'een some !#rther $onstr#$tions o! (hat 8 (rote that &o o%er into prepostero#sness: That 8 re&ar !latness an the in$losin& o! !latness not #st as thelimitin& $onitions o! pi$torial art) '#t as $riteria o! aestheti$ ?#ality in pi$torial artthat the !#rther a (or* a%an$es the sel!,e!inition o! an art) the 'etter that (or* is

'o#n to 'e. The philosopher or art historian (ho $an en%ision me ,, or anyone at all,, arri%in& at aestheti$ #&ments in this (ay reas sho$*in&ly more into himsel! orhersel! than into my arti$le.

2<



CLEMENT GREENBERG

AANT GAREATT8T@E;

This essay from ./; is a #endant to and correcttion of Greenber!9s celebrated

A%ant Gare an Fit$h of ./3/$ ,ere he e<#o"nds what came to be re!arded as a

defense or ="stification of his belea!"ered #osition$ >n fact his sense of the "ni7"e

character of art is far from new or defensi&e? it !oes back to his early years *as the

recently%#"blished 3arol Letters attest$ As the title s"!!ests to Greenber!

a&ant!ardism is an attit"de certainly not a style and was im#ortant insofar as it was

one of the dri&in! forces behind modernism$ B"t he senses its dissol"tion as well

with its im#lications for hi!h c"lt"re %% if e&eryone is o"t front who la!s behind@ if

there9s no hi!h is e&erythin! middle@

Altho"!h this essay was deli&ered as a #"blic lect"re at a "ni&ersity it #oints to

Greenber!9s se#aration from the academic world which had become infested afterthe 9s with a&ant !arde attit"des as indeed had #o#"lar c"lt"re$ The 7"estion

remains %% tho"!h no do"bt a #ointless one: are #resent%day academic and #o#"lar

attit"des really a%ant) or is their a%antness merely ass"med@

%% T(

T3E PREALENT N+T8+N is that latter,ay art is in a state o! $on!#sion. Paintin& ans$#lpt#re appear to 'e $han&in& an e%ol%in& !aster than e%er 'e!ore. 8nno%ations!ollo( $loser an $loser on one another an) 'e$a#se they on4t ma*e their e6its asrapily as their entran$es) they pile #p in a (elter o! e$$entri$ styles) trens)tenen$ies) s$hools. E%erythin& $onspires) it (o#l seem) in the interests o!$on!#sion. The i!!erent mei#ms are e6ploin&: paintin& t#rns into s$#lpt#re)s$#lpt#re into ar$hite$t#re) en&ineerin&) theatre) en%ironment) "parti$ipation". Notonly the 'o#naries 'et(een the i!!erent arts) '#t the 'o#naries 'et(een art ane%erythin& that is not art are 'ein& o'literate. At the same time s$ienti!i$ te$hnolo&yis in%ain& the %is#al arts an trans!ormin& them e%en as they trans!orm one another.An to a to the $on!#sion) hi&h art is on the (ay to 'e$omin& pop#lar art) an %i$e%ersa.

8s all this so To #&e !rom s#r!a$e appearan$es) it mi&ht 'e so. A (riter in theTimes Literary 1"##lement o! 10 Mar$h 15K re!ers to ". . . that total $on!#sion o! all

25




artisti$ %al#es (hi$h pre%ails toay". B#t 'y his %ery (ors this (riter 'etrays (herethe real so#r$e o! $on!#sion lies: namely) in his o(n min. Artisti$ %al#e is one) notmany. The only artisti$ %al#e any'oy has yet 'een a'le to point to satis!a$torily in(ors is simply the &ooness o! &oo art. There are) o! $o#rse) e&rees o! artisti$&ooness) '#t these are not i!!erent %al#es or *ins o! %al#e. No( this one an only

%al#e) in its %aryin& e&rees) is the !irst an s#preme prin$iple o! artisti$ orer. Bythe same to*en it is the most rele%ant s#$h prin$iple. +! orer esta'lishe on its 'asis)art toay sho(s as m#$h as it e%er has) ;#r!a$e appearan$es may o's$#re or hie this*in o! orer) (hi$h is ?#alitati%e orer) '#t they o not ne&ate it) they o not renerit any the less present. =ith the a'ility to tell the i!!eren$e 'et(een &oo an 'a)an 'et(een 'etter an (orse) yo# $an !in yo#r (ay ?#ite (ell thro#&h the apparent$on!#sion o! $ontemporary art. Taste) i.e.) the e6ertions o! taste) esta'lish artisti$orer,,no( as 'e!ore) no( as al(ays.

Thin&s that p#rport to 'e art o not !#n$tion) o not e6ist) as art #ntil they aree6perien$e thro#&h taste. @ntil then they e6ist only as empiri$al phenomena) asaestheti$ally ar'itrary o'e$ts or !a$ts. These) pre$isely) are (hat a lot o!$ontemporary art &ets ta*en !or) an (hat many artists (ant their (or*s to 'e ta*en!or,,in the hope) perioi$ally rene(e sin$e Mar$el #$hamp !irst a$te on it !i!ty,o years a&o) that 'y int o! e%ain& the rea$h o!) taste (hile yet remainin& in the$onte6t o! art) $ertain *ins o! $ontri%an$es (ill a$hie%e #ni?#e e6isten$e an %al#e.;o !ar this hope has pro%e ill#sory. ;o !ar e%erythin& that enters the $onte6t o! art

'e$omes s#'e$t) ine6ora'ly) to the #risi$tion o! taste,,an to the orerin& o! taste.An so !ar almost all (o#l,,'e non,art,in,the,$onte6t,o!,art has !allen rather neatly

into pla$e in the orer o! in!erior art. This is the orer (here the '#l* o! art pro#$tion tens to !in its pla$e) in 15K as in 1K5K,,or 1D5K. ;#perior art $ontin#esto 'e somethin& more or less e6$eptional. An this) this rather sta'le ?#antitati%erelation 'et(een the s#perior an in!erior) o!!ers as !#namentally rele%ant a *in o!artisti$ orer as yo# $o#l (ish.

B#t e%en so) i! this (ere the only *in o! orer o'tainin& in ne( art toay) itssit#ation (o#l 'e as #npre$eente) still) as $ommon opinion says it is.@npre$eente e%en i! not $on!#se. The &oo an the 'a mi&ht i!!erentiate

themsel%es as $learly as e%er) '#t there (o#l still 'e a no%el $on!#sion o! styles)s$hools) ire$tions) tenen$ies. There (o#l still 'e phenomenal i! not aestheti$isorer. =ell) e%en here e6perien$e tells me,,an 8 ha%e nothin& else to rely on,,thatthe phenomenal sit#ation o! art in this time is not all that ne( or #npre$eente.E6perien$e tells me that $ontemporary art) e%en (hen approa$he in p#relyes$ripti%e terms) ma*es sense an !alls into orer in m#$h the same (ay that art iin the past. A&ain) it is a ?#estion o! &ettin& thro#&h s#per!i$ial appearan$es.

Approa$hin& art in phenomenal an es$ripti%e terms means approa$hin& it) !irst o!all) as style an as the history o! style -neither o! (hi$h) ta*en in itsel!) ne$essarilyin%ol%es ?#ality. Approa$he stri$tly as a matter o! style) ne( art in the 15/4ss#rprises yo#,,i! it oes s#rprise yo#,,not 'y its %ariety) '#t 'y the #nity an e%en

2D



#ni!ormity it 'etrays #nerneath all the appearan$es o! %ariety. There areAssem'la&e) Pop) an +p there are 3ar E&e) Color 7iel) an ;hape Can%asthere are Neo,7i&#rati%e) 7#n*y) an En%ironmental there are Minimal) Fineti$) anL#mino#s there are Comp#ter) Cy'erneti$) ;ystems) Parti$ipatory,,an so on. -+neo! the really ne( thin&s a'o#t art in the 5/4s is the rash o! la'els in (hi$h it has

'ro*en o#t) most o! them e%ise 'y artists themsel%es,,(hi$h is li*e(ise ne( art,la'elin& #se to 'e the a!!air o! o#rnalists. =ell) there are these mani!estations in alltheir %arie&ation) yet !rom a steay an eta$he loo* at them thro#&h their (holeran&e some mar*ely $ommon stylisti$ !eat#res emer&e. esi&n or layo#t is almostal(ays $lear an e6pli$it) ra(in& sharp an $lean) shape or area &eometri$allysimpli!ie or at least !aire an tr#e) $olor !lat an 'ri&ht or at least #ni!!erentiatein %al#e an te6t#re (ithin a &i%en h#e. Ami the p#ll#lation o! no%elties) a%an$eart in the 5/4s s#'s$ri'es almost #nanimo#sly to these $anons o! style,,$anons that=ol!!lin (o#l $all linear.

Thin* 'y $ontrast o! the $anons to (hi$h a%ant,&are art $on!orme in the </4s: the!l#i esi&n or layo#t) the "so!t" ra(in&) the irre&#lar an inistin$t shapes or areas)the #ne%en te6t#res) the t#r'i $olor. 8t is as tho#&h a%ant,&are art in the 5/4s setitsel! at e%ery point in opposition to the $ommon stylisti$ enominators o! A'stra$tE6pressionism) art in!ormel) ta$hisme. An #st as these $ommon enominators

pointe to (hat (as one an the same perio style in the latter 0/4s an the </4s) sothe $ommon enominators o! ne( art in the 5/4s point to a sin&le) all,en%elopin&

perio style. An in 'oth $ases the perio style is re!le$te in s$#lpt#re as (ell as in pi$torial art.

That a%ant,&are art in the latter 0/4s an in the </4s (as one) not many) in terms o!style is no( pretty &enerally re$o&nize. La$*in& the perspe$ti%e o! time) (e !in itharer to ienti!y a similar stylisti$ #nity in the art o! this e$ae. 8t is there all thesame. All the %arie an in&enio#s e6$itements an "e6periments" o! the last years)lar&e an small) si&ni!i$ant an tri%ial) !lo( (ithin the 'an*s o! one) #st one periostyle. 3omo&eneity emer&es !rom (hat seeme an e6$ess o! hetero&eneity.Phenomenal) es$ripti%e) art,histori$al,,as (ell as ?#alitati%e,,orer s#per%enes(here to the !oreshortenin& eye all seeme the antithesis o! orer.

8! this &i%es pa#se) the pa#se sho#l 'e ta*en a%anta&e o! to e6amine more $loselyanother pop#lar iea a'o#t art in this time: namely) that it mo%es !aster than e%er

'e!ore. The art,histori$al style o! this perio that 8 ha%e so s*et$hily es$ri'e,,astyle that has maintaine) an maintains) its ientity #ner a m#ltit#e o! !ashions)%o&#es) (a%es) !as) manias,,has 'een (ith #s no( !or nearly a e$ae an seems to

promise to stay (ith #s a (hile lon&er. =o#l this sho( that art is mo%in& an$han&in& (ith #npre$eente spee 3o( lon& i art,histori$al styles #s#ally last inthe past,,e%en the more re$ent past

8n the present $onte6t 8 (o#l say that the #ration o! an arthistori$al style o#&ht to 'e $onsiere as the len&th o! time #rin& (hi$h it is a leain& an ominatin& style)

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the time #rin& (hi$h it is the %essel o! the lar&est part o! the important art 'ein& pro#$e in a &i%en mei#m (ithin a &i%en $#lt#ral or'it. This is also) #s#ally) thetime #rin& (hi$h it attra$ts those yo#n&er artists (ho are most hi&hly an serio#slyam'itio#s. =ith this e!inition as meas#re) it is possi'le to see as many as !i%e) anmay'e more) istin$tly i!!erent styles or mo%ements s#$$eein& one another in

7ren$h paintin& o! the 1th $ent#ry.

7irst there (as a%i4s an 8n&res4 Classi$ism. Then !rom a'o#t 1K2/ into the mi,1K/4s) ela$roi64s Romanti$ism. Then Corot4s nat#ralism an then Co#r'et4s *in.8n the early 1K5/4s Manet4s !lat an rapi %ersion o! nat#ralism le the (ay) to 'e!ollo(e (ithin less than ten years 'y 8mpressionism. 8mpressionism hel on as theleain& manner #ntil the early 1KK/4s) (here the Neo,8mpressionism o! ;e#rat anthen the Post,8mpressionism o! CHzanne) Ga#&#in) an an Go&h 'e$ame the mosta%an$e styles. Thin&s &et a little mi6e #p #rin& the last t(enty years o! the$ent#ry) tho#&h it may 'e only in seemin&. At any rate Bonnar an #illar in theirearly) Na'i phase appear #rin& the 1K/4s) an 7a#%ism enters the $ompetition 'y atleast 1/. As it loo*s) paintin& mo%e !aster 'et(een the mi 1KK/4s an 11/ or sothan at any time (ithin the s$ope o! this hasty s#r%ey. C#'ism too* the lea a(ay!rom 7a#%ism (ithin harly a hal! a ozen years o! the latter4s emer&en$e. +nly theni paintin& slo( o(n a&ain to (hat ha 'een its normal rate o! $han&e 'et(een1K// an the 1KK/4s. 7or C#'ism staye on top #ntil the mi,12/4s. A!ter that $ame;#rrealism -8 say ;#rrealism !or la$* o! a 'etter term: ;#rrealism4s ientity as a stylestill remains #netermine an some o! the 'est ne( paintin& an s$#lpt#re o! thelatter 2/4s an the /4s ha nothin& to o (ith it. An 'y the early 10/4s A'stra$t

E6pressionism an its $o&nates) ta$hisme an art in!ormel) (ere on the s$ene.

Amittely) this histori$al r#no(n simpli!ies !ar too m#$h. Art ne%er pro$ees thatneatly. Nor is the r#no(n itsel! that a$$#rate e%en (ithin the limits set it. -=hat 8see as h#rrie stylisti$ $han&e 'et(een the 1KK/4s an 11/ may t#rn o#t #nerlon&er s$r#tiny to 'e less h#rrie than it no( loo*s. Lar&er an #ne6pe$te #nities o!style may 'e$ome apparent,,in !a$t) they alreay are apparent) '#t this is not the

pla$e to to#$h on them) espite all they (o#l o to stren&then my ar&#ment here.B#t) !or all the e6$eptions that $an ri&htly 'e ta*en to my $hronolo&i$al s$hema an

(hat it implies) 8 o thin* that there is eno#&h #n?#estiona'le e%ien$e to s#pport my point) (hi$h is that art,histori$al styles in paintin& -i! not in s$#lpt#re ha%e tenesin$e the 'e&innin& o! the 1th $ent#ry -i! not 'e!ore to hol their positions o!leaership !or on an a%era&e o! 'et(een ten an !i!teen years.

The $ase o! A'stra$t E6pressionism oes more than 'ear o#t this a%era&e it e6$eesit) an (o#l &o to sho( that art a$t#ally mo%e an $han&e more slo(ly o%er thelast thirty years than in the h#nre years pre%io#s. A'stra$t E6pressionism in Ne(>or*) alon& (ith ta$hisme an art in!ormel in Paris) emer&e in the early 0/4s an 'ythe early </4s (as ominatin& a%ant,&are paintin& an s$#lpt#re to a &reater e6tente%en than C#'ism ha in the 2/4s. ->o# (eren4t "(ith it" at all in those ays #nlessyo# lathere yo#r paint or ro#&he yo#r s#r!a$es an in the </4s 'ein& "(ith it"

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'e&an to matter e%er so m#$h more. =ell) A'stra$t E6pressionism $ollapse %erys#enly 'a$* in the sprin& o! 152) in Paris as (ell as Ne( >or*. 8t is tr#e that itha 'e&#n to lose its %itality (ell 'e!ore that) '#t ne%ertheless it $ontin#e toominate the a%ant,&are s$ene) an 'y the time o! its !inal retreat !rom that s$ene itha le art !or $lose to t(enty years. The $ollapse o! A'stra$t E6pressionism (as as

s#en as it (as 'e$a#se it (as lon& o%er#e) '#t e%en ha its $ollapse $ome !i%e orsi6 years earlier -(hi$h is (hen it sho#l ha%e $ome the span o! time o%er (hi$hA'stra$t E6pressionism hel its leaership (o#l still ha%e 'een o%er the a%era&e !orart styles or mo%ements (ithin the last $ent#ry an a hal!.

8roni$ally eno#&h) the seemin&ly s#en eath o! A'stra$t E6pressionism in 152 isanother o! the thin&s that ha%e $ontri'#te to the notion that art styles t#rn o%er m#$h!aster) an more a'r#ptly) no( than they #se to. The !a$t is that the emise o!A'stra$t E6pressionism (as an #n#s#ally lin&erin& one. Nor i the art,histori$alstyle that ispla$e it $ome into %ie( nearly so s#enly as the e%ents o! the sprin& o!152 mae it appear. The "har" style o! the 5/4s ha alreay emer&e (ith Ells(orthFelly4s !irst Ne( >or* sho( in 1<<) an (ith the renas$en$e o! &eometri$izin&a'stra$t art in Paris in the mi,</4s as (e see it in asarely. Th#s there (as ano%erlappin& in time. There (as an o%erlappin& or transition in terms o! style too: the

passa&e !rom the "painterly" to the "linear" $an 'e (itnesse in the paintin& o!Barnett Ne(man. !or e6ample. an in the s$#lpt#re o! a%i ;mith) an in an artistli*e Ra#s$hen'er& -to name only Ameri$ans. That the s$ene o! art) as istin$t !romthe $o#rse o! art has *no(n a'r#pt $han&es an re%ersals lately sho#l not mislea #sas to (hat has a$t#ally happene in art itsel!. -8t is a&ain ironi$al that the o%erlappin&)

the %ery &ra#alness in%ol%e in re$ent stylisti$ $han&e) mae !or the impression o!$on!#sion) at least in the !irst years o! the 5/4s) as m#$h as anythin& else i.

=hat at !irst i s#rprise me in the ne( art o! the 5/4s (as that its 'asi$ homo&eneityo! style $o#l em'ra$e s#$h a &reat hetero&eneity o! ?#ality) that s#$h 'a art $o#l&o han in han (ith s#$h &oo art. 8t too* me a (hile to remem'er that 8 ha alreay

'een s#rprise 'y that same thin& in the </4s. Then 8 ha !or&otten that) 'e$a#se o!the s#'se?#ent $ollapse o! A'stra$t E6pressionism) (hi$h seeme to me to separatethe &oo !rom the 'a in the art o! the </4s pretty $orre$tly. All the same) some o! my

s#rprise at the &reat #ne%enness in ?#ality o! ne( art in the 5/4s remaine) anremains. ;omethin& ne( is there that (as not there in A'stra$t E6pressionism (henit !irst emer&e.

All art styles eteriorate an) in oin& so) 'e$ome #sa'le !or hollo( an meretri$io#se!!e$ts. B#t no style in the past seems to ha%e 'e$ome #sa'le !or s#$h e!!e$ts (hile it(as still an #p,an,$omin& one. That is) as 'est as 8 $an remem'er. Not the sorriest

#astiche"r or 'an(a&on,#mper o! 8mpressionism) 7a#%ism) or C#'ism in their !irstyears o! leaership !ell 'elo( a $ertain le%el o! artisti$ pro'ity. The %i&or an thei!!i$#lty o! the style at the time simply (o#l not let them. May'e 8 on4t *no(eno#&h o! (hat happene in those ays. 8 (ill allo( !or that an still maintain my

point. The ne( "har" style o! the 5/4s esta'lishe itsel! 'y pro#$in& ori&inal an

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%i&oro#s art. This is the (ay ne( styles ha%e &enerally esta'lishe themsel%es. B#t(hat (as ne() in s$heme) a'o#t the (ay that the 5/4s style arri%e (as that it i so$arryin& not only &en#inely !resh art '#t also art that pretene to 'e !resh) an (asa'le to preten to 'e that) as in times past only a style in e$line (o#l ha%e

permitte. A'stra$t E6pressionism starte o#t (ith 'oth &oo an 'a) '#t not #ntil

the early 1</4s i it len itsel!) as a style) to spe$io#s as istin$t !rom !aile art. Theno%el !eat#re o! the "har" style o! the 5/4s is that it i this !rom the !irst. This !a$tsays nothin& ne$essarily $ompromisin& a'o#t the 'est "har,style" art. That 'est ise?#al to the 'est o! A'stra$t E6pressionism. B#t the !a$t itsel! (o#l sho( thatsomethin& really ne() in s$heme) has happene in the ne( art o! the 5/4s.

This s$hemati$ally ne( thin& is (hat) 8 !eel) a$$o#nts !or the &reater ner%o#sness o!art opinion that mar*s the 5/4s. +ne *no(s (hat is "in" at any &i%en moment) '#t oneis #neasy a'o#t (hat is "o#t". 8t (as not that (ay in the </4s. The heroes o! paintin&an s$#lpt#re in that perio pro!ile themsel%es a&ainst a 'a$*&ro#n o! !ollo(ers!airly early on) an !or the most part they remaine,,an ha%e remaine,,heroes.There (as less ?#estion then than no( o! $ompetin& tenen$ies or positions (ithinthe $ommon style. 9#st (ho an (hat (ill remain !rom the 5/4s) #st (hi$h o! the$ompetin& s#',styles (ill pro%e o#t as o! lastin& %al#e,,this remains !ar more#n$ertain. +r at least it oes !or most $riti$s) m#se#m people) $olle$tors) art '#!!s)an artists themsel%es,,!or most) 8 say) i! not e6a$tly !or all. This #n$ertainty mayhelp e6plain (hy $riti$s ha%e lately 'e&#n to pay so m#$h more attention to oneanother than they #se to) an (hy e%en artists pay them more attention.

Another $a#se o! the ne( #n$ertainty may 'e the !a$t that a%ant&are opinion hassin$e the mi,</4s lost a $ompass 'earin& that ha ser%e it relia'ly in the past. There#se to 'e sel!,e%iently a$aemi$ art) the art o! the salons an the Royal A$aemy)a&ainst (hi$h to ta*e position. E%erythin& ire$te a&ainst or a(ay !rom a$aemi$ art(as in the ri&ht ire$tion that (as on$e a minimal $ertainty. The a$aemy (as stilleno#&h there in Paris in the 2/4s) an perhaps e%en in the /4s) to ass#re a%ant,&areart o! its o(n ientity -AnrH Lhote (o#l still atta$* a salon e6hi'ition no( an then#rin& those years. B#t sin$e the (ar) an espe$ially sin$e the </4s) $on!esselya$aemi$ art has !allen o#t o! si&ht. Toay the only $onspi$#o#s !ine art,,the

e6$eptions) ho(e%er n#mero#s) are irrele%ant,,is a%ant,&are or (hat loo*s li*e orre!ers to a%ant,&are art. The a%ant,&are is le!t alone (ith itsel!) an in !#ll possession o! the "s$ene".

This harly means that the *in o! imp#lse an am'ition that on$e (ent intoa%o(ely a$aemi$ art has no( 'e$ome e6tin$t. 7ar !rom it. That *in o! imp#lsean that *in o! am'ition no( !in their (ay into a%ant,&are) or rather nominallya%ant,&are) art. All the slo&anizin& an pro&rammin& o! a%an$e art in the 5/4s)an the %ery proli!eration o! it) are as tho#&h esi&ne to $on$eal this. 8n e!!e$t) thea%ant,&are is 'ein& in!iltrate 'y the enemy) an has 'e&#n to eny itsel!. =heree%erythin& is a%an$e nothin& is (hen e%ery'oy is a re%ol#tionary the re%ol#tionis o%er.

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Not that the a%ant,&are e%er really meant re%ol#tion. +nly the o#rnalism a'o#t itta*es it to mean that,,ta*es it to mean a 'rea* (ith the past) a ne( start) an all that.The a%ant,&are4s prin$ipal reason !or 'ein& is) on the $ontrary) to maintain$ontin#ity: $ontin#ity o! stanars o! ?#ality,,the stanars) i! yo# please) o! the +lMasters. These $an 'e maintaine only thro#&h $onstant inno%ation) (hi$h is ho( the

+l Masters ha a$hie%e stanars to 'e&in (ith. @ntil the mile o! the last$ent#ry inno%ation in =estern art ha not ha to 'e startlin& or #psettin& sin$e then)!or reasons too $omple6 to &o into here) it has ha to 'e that. An no( in the 5/4s it isas tho#&h e%ery'oy ha !inally,,!inally,,$a#&ht on to this: $a#&ht on not only to thene$essity o! inno%ation) '#t also to the ne$essity,,or seemin& ne$essity o! a%ertisin&inno%ation 'y ma*in& it startlin& an spe$ta$#lar.

Toay e%ery'oy inno%ates. eli'erately) methoi$ally. An the inno%ations areeli'erately an methoi$ally mae startlin&. +nly it no( t#rns o#t not to 'e tr#e thatall startlin& art is ne$essarily inno%ati%e or ne( art. This is (hat the 5/4s ha%e !inallyre%eale) an this re%elation may inee 'e the ne(est thin& a'o#t the '#l* o! (hat

passes !or ne( art in the 5/4s. 8t has 'e$ome apparent that art $an ha%e a startlin&impa$t (itho#t really 'ein& or sayin& anythin& startlin&,,or ne(. The $hara$ter itsel!o! 'ein& startlin&) spe$ta$#lar) or #psettin& has 'e$ome $on%entionalize) part o! sa!e&oo taste. A $orollary o! this is the realization that the aspe$ts #ner (hi$h almostall artisti$ inno%ation has mae itsel! re$o&nize these past h#nre years ha%e$han&e) almost rai$ally. =hat is a#thenti$ally an importantly ne( in the art o! the5/4s $omes in so!tly as it (ere) s#rreptitio#sly in the &#ises) seemin&ly) o! the ol)an the #natt#ne eye is ta*en a'a$* as it isn4t 'y art that appears in the &#ises o! the

sel!,e%iently ne(. No artisti$ ro$*etry) no 'lan*,loo*in& 'o6) no art that e6$a%ates)litters) #mps) or e6$retes has a$t#ally startle #n(ary taste in these latter years asha%e some (or*s o! art that $an 'e sa!ely es$ri'e as easel,paintin&s an some other(or*s that e!ine themsel%es as s$#lpt#re an nothin& else. Art in any mei#m)

'oile o(n to (hat it oes in the e6perien$in& o! it) $reates itsel! thro#&h relations) proportions. The ?#ality o! art epens on inspire) !elt relations or proportions as onnothin& else.

There is no &ettin& aro#n this. A simple) #naorne 'o6 $an s#$$ee as art 'y %irt#e

o! these thin&s an (hen it !ails as art it is not 'e$a#se it is merely a plain 'o6) '#t 'e$a#se its proportions) or e%en its size) are #ninspire) #n!elt. The same applies to(or*s in any other !orm o! "no%elty" art: *ineti$) atmospheri$) li&ht) en%ironmental)"earth") "!#n*y") et$.) et$. No amo#nt o! phenomenal) es$ri'a'le ne(ness a%ails(hen the internal relations o! the (or* ha%e not 'een !elt) inspire) is$o%ere. Thes#perior (or* o! art) (hether it an$es) raiates) e6ploes) or 'arely mana&es to 'e%isi'le -or a#i'le or e$iphera'le) e6hi'its) in other (ors) ri&htness o! "!orm".

To this e6tent art remains #n$han&ea'le. 8ts ?#ality (ill al(ays epen oninspiration) an it (ill ne%er 'e a'le to ta*e e!!e$t as art e6$ept thro#&h ?#ality. Thenotion that the iss#e o! ?#ality $o#l 'e e%ae is one that ne%er entere the min o!any a$aemi$ artist or art person. 8t (as le!t to (hat 8 $all the "pop#lar" a%ant,&are

2



to 'e the !irst to $on$ei%e it. That *in o! a%ant,&are 'e&an (ith Mar$el #$hampan (ith aa. aa i more than e6press a (ar,time espair o! traitional art an$#lt#re it also trie to rep#iate the i!!eren$e 'et(een hi&h an less than hi&h artan here it (as a ?#estion less o! (artime espair than o! a re%#lsion a&ainst thear#o#sness o! hi&h art as insiste #pon 'y the "#npop#lar" a%ant&are) (hi$h (as

the real an ori&inal one. E%en 'e!ore 110 #$hamp ha 'e&#n his $o#nter,atta$*on (hat he $alle "physi$al" art 'y (hi$h he meant (hat is toay %#l&arly terme"!ormalist" art.

#$hamp apparently realize that his enterprise mi&ht loo* li*e a retreat !rom"i!!i$#lt" to "easy" art) an his intention seems to ha%e 'een to #ner$#t thisi!!eren$e 'y "trans$enin&" the i!!eren$e 'et(een &oo an 'a in &eneral. -8 on4tthin* 84m o%er,interpretin& him here. Most o! the ;#rrealist painters oine the"pop#lar" a%ant&are) '#t they i not try to hie their o(n retreat !rom the i!!i$#ltto the easy 'y $laimin& this trans$enen$e they apparently i not !eel it (as thatne$essary to 'e "a%an$e" they 'elie%e that their *in o! art (as simply 'etter thanthe i!!i$#lt *in. An it (as the same (ith the Neo,Romanti$ painters o! the /4s.>et #$hamp4s ream o! &oin& "'eyon" the iss#e o! artisti$ ?#ality $ontin#e toho%er in the mins at least o! art o#rnalists. =hen A'stra$t E6pressionism an artin!ormel appeare they (ere (iely ta*en to 'e a *in o! art that ha at last mana&eto ma*e %al#e is$riminations irrele%ant. An that seeme the most a%an$e) the!#rthest,o#t) the most a%ant,&are !eat that art ha yet 'een a'le to per!orm.

Not that #$hamp4s ieas (ere parti$#larly in%o*e at the time. Nor i A'stra$t

E6pressionism or art in!ormel 'elon& properly (ith the "pop#lar" a%ant,&are. >et intheir e$line they i $reate a sit#ation !a%ora'le to the ret#rn or re%i%al o! that *ino! a%ant&arism. An ret#rn an re%i%e it i in Ne( >or*) nota'ly (ith 9asper 9ohnsin the latter </4s. 9ohns is,,rather (as,,a &i!te an ori&inal artist) '#t the 'est o! his

paintin&s an 'as,relie!s remain "easy" an $ertainly minor $ompare (ith the 'est o!A'stra$t E6pressionism. >et in the $onte6t o! their perio) an in iea) they loo*ee?#ally "a%an$e". An #ner $o%er o! 9ohn4s iea Pop art (as a'le to enter an&i%e itsel! o#t as perhaps e%en more "4a%an$e",,(itho#t) ho(e%er) $laimin& torea$h the same le%els o! ?#ality that the 'est o! A'stra$t E6pressionism ha. The art

o#rnalism o! the 5/4s a$$epte the "easiness" o! Pop art impli$itly) as tho#&h it inot matter) an as tho#&h s#$h ?#estions ha 'e$ome ol,!ashione an o'solete. >etin the en Pop art has not s#$$eee in o&in& ?#alitati%e $omparisons) an its#!!ers !rom them in$reasin&ly (ith e%ery ay that passes.

8ts %#lnera'ility to ?#alitati%e $omparisons,,not its "easiness" or minor ?#ality ass#$h,,is (hat is seen 'y many yo#n&er artists as $onstit#tin& the real !ail#re o! PopArt. This !ail#re is (hat) in e!!e$t) "no%elty" art intens to remey. -An thisintention) alon& (ith other thin&s) re%eals ho( m#$h "no%elty" art eri%es !rom Popart in spirit an o#tloo*. The retreat to the easy !rom the i!!i$#lt is to 'e more*no(in&ly) a&&ressi%ely) e6tra%a&antly mas*e 'y the &#ises o! the i!!i$#lt. Theiea o! the i!!i$#lt,,'#t the mere iea) not the reality or s#'stan$e,,is to 'e #se



a&ainst itsel!. By int o! e%o*in& that iea the loo* o! the a%an$e is to 'e a$hie%ean at the same time the i!!eren$e 'et(een &oo an 'a o%er$ome. The iea o! thei!!i$#lt is e%o*e 'y a ro( o! 'o6es) 'y a mere ro) 'y a pile o! litter) 'y proe$ts !orCy$lopean lans$ape ar$hite$t#re) 'y the plan !or a tren$h #& in a strai&ht line !orh#nres o! miles) 'y a hal!,open oor) 'y the $ross,se$tion o! a mo#ntain) 'y statin&

ima&inary relations 'et(een real points in real pla$es) 'y a 'lan* (all) an so !orth.As tho#&h the i!!i$#lty o! &ettin& a thin& into !o$#s as art) or o! &ainin& physi$ala$$ess to it) or o! %is#alizin& it) (ere the same as the i!!i$#lty that 'elon&e to the!irst e6perien$e o! a s#$$ess!#lly ne( an eeply ori&inal (or* o! art. An as i!aestheti$ally e6trinsi$) merely phenomenal or $on$ept#al i!!i$#lty $o#l re#$e thei!!eren$e 'et(een &oo an 'a in art to the point (here it 'e$ame irrele%ant. 8n this$onte6t the Mil*y =ay mi&ht 'e o!!ere as a (or* o! art too.

The tro#'le (ith the Mil*y =ay) ho(e%er) is that) as art) it is 'anal. ie(e stri$tlyas art) the "s#'lime" #s#ally oes re%erse itsel! an t#rn into the 'anal. The 1Kth$ent#ry sa( the "s#'lime" as trans$enin& the i!!eren$e 'et(een the aestheti$ally&oo an the aestheti$ally 'a. B#t this is pre$isely (hy the "s#'lime" 'e$omesaestheti$ally) artisti$ally 'anal. An this is (hy the ne( %ersions o! the "s#'lime"o!!ere 'y "no%elty" art in its latest phase) to the e6tent that they o "trans$en"aestheti$ %al#ation) remain 'anal an tri%ial instea o! simply #ns#$$ess!#l) or minor.-8n any $ase "s#'lime" e!!e$ts in art s#!!er !rom a &eneti$ !la(: they $an 'e$on$o$te,,pro#$e) that is) (itho#t inspiration.

3ere a&ain) the %ariety o! nominally a%an$e art in the 5/4s sho(s itsel! to 'e lar&ely

s#per!i$ial. ariety (ithin the limits o! the artisti$ally insi&ni!i$ant) o! theaestheti$ally 'anal an tri%ial) is itsel! artisti$ally insi&ni!i$ant.

T3E 9+3N P+=ER LECT@RE 8N C+NTEMP+RAR> ART EL8ERE AT T3E @N8ER;8T> +7 ;>NE> +N7R8A> 1D MA> 15K. +R8G8NALL> P@BL8;3E B> T3E P+=ER 8N;T8T@TE +7 78NE ART; @N8ER;8T> +7;>NE> 15

0



CLEMENT GREENBERG

M+ERN ANP+;TM+ERN

=illiam o'ell Memorial Le$t#re) ;yney) A#stralia) +$t 1) 1D Arts 0) No.5 -7e'r#ary 1K/.

This is Green'er&4s last essay on moernism. 8n it he re$ants his "ele&ant" e!initiono! the 15/ essay) an as the $on%i$tion that moernism $onstit#tes a *in o!holin& operation a&ain the le%ellin& an rela6in& tenen$ies o! mile'ro( taste. 8nthis it re$alls -i! memory ser%es a remar* 'y ;am#el 9ohnson that $riti$ism see*s tomaintain stanars in the !a$e o! their $ontin#al tenen$y to eteriorate.

%% T(

9#les +lits*i) 2olitions) 1K

"P+;TM+ERN" 8; A RAT3ER NE= TERM. 8t4s a $at$hy one an has 'een $omin& #pmore an more o!ten in tal* an (ritin& a'o#t the arts) an not only a'o#t the arts.84m not $lear as to #st (hat it points to e6$ept in the $ase o! ar$hite$t#re. There (e*no( more or less e!initely (hat "moern" means) so (e4re 'etter a'le to tell (hat"post" means (hen pre!i6e to "moern." Moern ar$hite$t#re means ,, to p#t itro#&hly ,, !#n$tional) &eometri$ ri&or an the es$he(in& o! e$oration or ornament.

B#ilin&s ha%e 'een p#t #p or proe$te lately that 'rea* (ith these $anons o! style)an there!ore ha%e &otten $alle postmoern. E%ery'oy $on$erne *no(s (hat4smeant) in$l#in& the ar$hite$ts themsel%es.

<



Can postmoern 'e ienti!ie in an e?#ally a&ree #pon (ay in any o! the other arts8 ha%en4t yet seen or hear the term applie in earnest to anythin& in re$ent literat#re.8t4s $ome #p in $onne$tion (ith m#si$) '#t haphazarly an (ith no a&reement a'o#t(hat it means there. An !rom (hat 8 $an tell it $omes #p harly at all in tal* a'o#tthe an$e or the mo%ies. A(ay !rom ar$hite$t#re) it4s in the area o! paintin& an

s$#lpt#re that 84%e mostly hear an seen postmoern #se ,, '#t only 'y $riti$s an o#rnalists) not 'y artists themsel%es.

There are reasons an reasons here. +ne possi'le reason is the ret#rn to the!ore&ro#n o! !i&#rati%e or representational pi$torial art. B#t there4s 'een eno#&h

pre$eent) sin$e e Chiri$o an s#rrealism an neoromanti$ism) !or in$l#in&!i&#rati%e art in the moern. There ha%e to 'e other) less o'%io#s) an at the sametime more &eneral reasons !or the $#rren$y o! postmoern in tal* a'o#t re$ent

paintin& an s$#lpt#re. All the more 'e$a#se no $riti$ or o#rnalist 84m a(are o! (homa*es !ree (ith postmoern points to any spe$i!i$ 'oy o! (or* he or she !eels really$on!ient in $allin& that.

No( the post in postmoern $an 'e ta*en in a temporal $hronolo&i$al sense.Anythin& that $omes a!ter somethin& else is "post" that somethin& else. B#t this isn4t?#ite the (ay in (hi$h postmoern is #se. 8t4s s#ppose) rather) to mean or imply artthat s#persees) repla$es) s#$$ees the moern in terms o! stylisti$ e%ol#tion) the (aythat the 'aro?#e s#$$eee mannerism an the ro$o$o s#$$eee the 'aro?#e. The$orollary is that the moern is o%er an one (ith) #st as mannerism (as o%er anone (ith (hen s#persee 'y the 'aro?#e. B#t the pro'lem !or those (ho $laim this

'e$omes to spe$i!y (hat they mean) not 'y post) '#t 'y moern. Anythin& in its o(ntime $an 'e $alle moern. 3o(e%er) (hat (e #s#ally mean 'y moern is somethin&$onsiere #p,to,ate) a'reast o! the times) an &oin& 'eyon the past in more than atemporally or $hronolo&i$ally literal sense.

=ell) ho( are yo# to e$ie (hat is an (hat isn4t moern in present,ay art in asense that &oes 'eyon the literal one There4s no r#le) no prin$iple) no metho. 8t$omes o(n to a ?#estion o! tastes) or else a terminolo&i$al ?#i''le. i!!erentstylisti$ e!initions o! the moern ha%e 'een propose in e%ery &eneration sin$e the

(or !irst $ame into $ir$#lation as appli$a'le to paintin& an s$#lpt#re in more than amerely temporal sense) an none o! them ha%e hel. Nor ha%e any o! those o!!ere 'ythe proponents o! the postmoern) (hether stylisti$ or not.

8 (ant to ta*e the ris* o! o!!erin& my o(n e!inition o! the moern) '#t it (ill 'emore in the nat#re o! an e6planation an es$ription than a e!inition. 7irst o! all) 8(ant to $han&e the term in ?#estion !rom moern to Moernist ,, Moernist (ith a$apital M ,, an then to tal* a'o#t Moernism instea o! the moern. Moernism hasthe &reat a%anta&e o! 'ein& a more histori$ally pla$ea'le term) one that esi&nates ahistori$ally ,, not #st $hronolo&i$ally ,, e!ina'le phenomenon: somethin& that

'e&an at a $ertain time) an may or may not still 'e (ith #s.

5



=hat $an 'e sa!ely $alle Moernism emer&e in the mile o! the last $ent#ry. Anrather lo$ally) in 7ran$e) (ith Ba#elaire in literat#re an Manet in paintin&) anmay'e (ith 7la#'ert too) in prose !i$tion. -8t (as a (hile later) an not so lo$ally) thatMoernism appeare in m#si$ an ar$hite$t#re) '#t it (as in 7ran$e a&ain that itappeare !irst in s$#lpt#re. +#tsie 7ran$e later still) it entere the an$e. The

"a%ant,&are" (as (hat Moernism (as $alle at !irst) '#t this term has 'e$ome a&oo eal $ompromise 'y no( as (ell as remainin& misleain&. Contrary to the$ommon notion) Moernism or the a%ant,&are in4t ma*e its entran$e 'y 'rea*in&(ith the past. 7ar !rom it. Nor i it ha%e s#$h a thin& as a pro&ram) nor has it reallye%er ha one ,, a&ain) $ontrary to the $ommon notion. Nor (as it an a!!air o! ieas ortheories or ieolo&y. 8t4s 'een in the nat#re) rather) o! an attit#e an an orientation:an attit#e an orientation to stanars an le%els: stanars an le%els o! aestheti$?#ality in the !irst an also the last pla$e. An (here i the Moernists &et theirstanars an le%els !rom 7rom the past) that is) the 'est o! the past. B#t not so

m#$h !rom parti$#lar moels in the past ,, tho#&h !rom these too ,, as !rom a&eneralize !eelin& an apprehenin&) a *in o! istillin& an e6tra$tin& o! aestheti$?#ality as sho(n 'y the 'est o! the past. An it (asn4t a ?#estion o! imitatin& '#t oneo! em#latin& ,, #st as it ha 'een !or the Renaissan$e (ith respe$t to anti?#ity. 8t4str#e that Ba#elaire an Manet tal*e m#$h more a'o#t ha%in& to 'e moern) a'o#tre!le$tin& li!e in their time) than a'o#t mat$hin& the 'est o! the past. B#t the nee anthe am'ition to o so sho( thro#&h in (hat they a$t#ally i) an in eno#&h o! (hatthey (ere re$ore as sayin&. Bein& moern (as a means o! li%in& #p to the past.

B#t in4t artists an (riters 'e!ore these t(o loo* to the past !or stanars o!

?#ality +! $o#rse. B#t it (as a ?#estion o! ho( one loo*e) an (ith ho( m#$h#r&en$y.

Moernism appeare in ans(er to a $risis. The s#r!a$e aspe$t o! that $risis (as a$ertain $on!#sion o! stanars 'ro#&ht on 'y romanti$ism. The romanti$s ha alreayloo*e 'a$* into the past) the pre,ei&hteenth,$ent#ry past) '#t ha mae the mista*ein the en o! tryin& to reinstall it. Ar$hite$t#re (as (here this attempt 'e$ame most$onspi$#o#s) in the !orm o! re%i%alism. Romanti$ ar$hite$t#re (asn4t all that sla%ish)it (asn4t the ea loss it4s s#ppose to 'e) '#t still it in4t s#!!!i$e it may ha%e

maintaine a loo* o! the past) '#t not its stanars. 8t (asn4t re%ise eno#&h 'y latere6perien$e) or re%ise in the ri&ht (ay: as Ba#elaire an Manet mi&ht ha%e p#t it) it(asn4t moern eno#&h. There ens#e !inally an a$aemi$ization o! the artse%ery(here e6$ept in m#si$ an prose !i$tion. A$aemi$ization isn4t a matter o!a$aemies ,, there (ere a$aemies lon& 'e!ore a$aemi$ization an 'e!ore thenineteenth $ent#ry. A$aemi$ism $onsists in the tenen$y to ta*e the mei#m o! anart too m#$h !or &rante. 8t res#lts in 'l#rrin&: (ors 'e$ome impre$ise) $olor &etsm#!!le) the physi$al so#r$es o! so#n 'e$ome too m#$h issem'le. -The piano)(hi$h issem'les its 'ein& a strin&e instr#ment) (as the romanti$ instr#ment par

e6$ellen$e '#t it is as i! pre$isely 'e$a#se it mae a point o! issem'lin& that it pro#$e the (oner!#l m#si$ it i in romanti$ times) t#rnin& impre$ision into ane( *in o! pre$ision.

D



Moernism4s rea$tion a&ainst romanti$ism $onsiste in part in a ne( in%esti&atin&an ?#estionin& o! the mei#m in poetry an paintin&) an in an emphasis on

pre$iseness) on the $on$rete. B#t a'o%e all Moernism e$lare itsel! 'y insistin& ona reno%ation o! stanars) an it e!!e$te this 'y a more $riti$al an less pio#sapproa$h to the past in orer to ma*e it more &en#inely rele%ant) more "moern." 8t

rea!!irme the past in a ne( (ay an in a %ariety o! ne( (ays. An it 'elon&e tothis rea!!irmin& that the 'alan$e (as tippe to(ar em#lation as a&ainst imitationmore rai$ally than e%er 'e!ore ,, '#t only o#t o! ne$essity) the ne$essity impose 'ythe rea!!irme an reno%ate stanars.

8nno%ation) ne(ness ha%e &otten themsel%es ta*en as the hallmar* o! Moernism)ne(ness as somethin& esire an p#rs#e. An yet all the &reat an lastin&Moernist $reators (ere rel#$tant inno%ators at 'ottom) inno%ators only 'e$a#se theyha to 'e ,, !or the sa*e o! ?#ality) an !or the sa*e o! sel!,e6pression i! yo# (ill. 8t4snot only that some meas#re o! inno%ation has al(ays 'een essential to aestheti$?#ality a'o%e a $ertain le%el it4s also that Moernist inno%ation has 'een $ompelleto 'e) or loo*) more rai$al an a'r#pt than inno%ation #se to 'e or loo*: $ompelle

'y an on&oin& $risis in stanars. =hy this sho#l 'e so) 8 $an4t try to a$$o#nt !orhere it (o#l ta*e me too !ar a!iel an in%ol%e too m#$h spe$#lation. Let it s#!!!i$e!or the moment to noti$e one thin&: ho( (ith only a relati%ely small lapse o! time theinno%ations o! Moernism 'e&in to loo* less an less rai$al) an ho( they almost allsettle into pla$e e%ent#ally as part o! the $ontin##m o! hi&h =estern art) alon& (ith;ha*espeare4s %erse an Rem'rant4s ra(in&s.

That re'ellion an re%olt) as (ell as rai$al inno%ation) ha%e 'een asso$iate (ithMoernism has its &oo as (ell as 'a reasons. B#t the latter !ar o#tn#m'er the!ormer. 8! re'ellion an re%olt ha%e tr#ly 'elon&e to Moernism) it4s 'een only (hen!elt to 'e ne$essary in the interests o! aestheti$ %al#e) not !or politi$al ens. Thatsome Moernists ha%e 'een #n$on%entional in their (ay o! li!e is 'esie the point.-Moernism) or the a%ant,&are) isn4t to 'e ienti!ie (ith 'ohemia) (hi$h (as there

'e!ore Moernism) there in Lonon4s Gr#' ;treet in the ei&hteenth $ent#ry) there inParis 'y the 8K/s) i! not 'e!ore. ;ome Moernists ha%e 'een 'ohemians more orless many more others ha%en4t 'een at all. Thin* o! the impressionist painters) o!

Mallarme) o! ;$hoen'er&) o! the seate li%es le 'y a Matisse) a T. ;. Eliot. Not that 8atta$h a parti$#lar %al#e to a seate as a&ainst a 'ohemian li!e 84m #st statin& a !a$t.

By (ay o! ill#stration 84 li*e to &o into a little etail a'o#t ho( moernism $amea'o#t in paintin&. There the proto,Moernists (ere) o! all people) the Pre,Raphaelites-an e%en 'e!ore them) as proto,proto,Moernists) the German Nazarenes. The Pre,Raphaelites a$t#ally !oretol Manet -(ith (hom Moernist paintin& most e!initely

'e&ins. They a$te on a issatis!a$tion (ith paintin& as pra$ti$e in their time)holin& that its realism (asn4t tr#th!#l eno#&h. 8t seeme to 'elon& to this (ant o!tr#th that $olor (asn4t allo(e to spea* o#t $learly an !ran*ly) that it (as 'ein&s(athe more an more in ne#tral shain& an shao(s. This last they in4t say inso many (ors) '#t their art itsel! says it) (ith its 'ri&hter) hi&her,*eye $olor) (hi$h

K



mar*s o!! Pre,Raphaelite paintin& in its ay e%en more than its etaile realism -to(hi$h $learer $olor (as ne$essary in any $ase. An it (as the !orthri&ht) ?#asinai%e$olor) as (ell as the ?#asi,inno$ent realism o! !i!teenth,$ent#ry 8talian art that theyloo*e 'a$* to in $allin& themsel%es Pre,Raphaelite. They (eren4t at all the !irstartists to &o 'a$* o%er time to a remoter past than the re$ent one. 8n the later

ei&hteenth $ent#ry) a%i) in 7ran$e) ha one that (hen he in%o*e anti?#itya&ainst the ro$o$o o! his immeiate pree$essors) an the Renaissan$e ha one thatin appealin& to anti?#ity a&ainst the Gothi$. B#t it (as the #r&en$y (ith (hi$h thePre,Raphaelites in%o*e a remoter past that (as ne(. An it (as a *in o! #r&en$ythat $arrie o%er into Moernism proper an remaine (ith it.

3o( m#$h Manet *ne( o! Pre,Raphaelism) 8 $an4t tell. B#t he too) ten years or solater than they) (hen he (as startin& o#t) 'e$ame pro!o#nly issatis!ie (ith the*in o! paintin& he sa( 'ein& one aro#n him. That (as to(ar the en o! the8K</s. B#t he p#t his !in&er on (hat issatis!ie him more "physi$ally" than the Pre,Raphaelites ha) an there!ore) as 8 thin*) to more lastin& e!!e$t. -7rom these%enteenth $ent#ry on the En&lish anti$ipate e%er so m#$h) in $#lt#re an the artsas (ell as in politi$s an so$ial li!e) '#t #s#ally le!t it to others to !ollo( thro#&h on(hat they4 starte. ;eein& a "elaz?#ez" in the Lo#%re -a pi$t#re no( tho#&ht to 'e

'y elaz?#ez4s son,in,la( Mazo) he sai ho( "$lean" its $olor (as $ompare to the"ste(s an &ra%ies" o! $ontemporary paintin&. =hi$h "ste(s an &ra%ies" (ere o(eto that same $olor,m#!!lin&) &rayin& an 'ro(nin& shain& an shao(in& that thePre,Raphaelites ha rea$te a&ainst. Manet) in his o(n rea$tion) rea$he 'a$* to anearer past than they ha in orer to "isen$#m'er" his art o! those "hal!tones"

responsi'le !or the "ste(s an &ra%ies." 3e (ent only as !ar 'a$* as elaz?#ez tostart (ith) an then e%en less !ar 'a$*) to another ;panish painter) Goya.

The impressionists) in Manet4s (a*e) loo*e 'a$* to the enetians inso!ar as theyloo*e 'a$*) an so i CHzanne) that hal!,impressionist. A&ain) the loo*in& 'a$*ha to o (ith $olor) (ith (armer as (ell as !ran*er $olor. Li*e the Pre,Raphaelites)li*e so many others in their time) the impressionists in%o*e tr#th to nat#re) annat#re on 'ri&ht ays (as l#mino#s (ith (arm $olor. B#t #nerneath all thein%o$ations) the e6planations) an the rationalizations) there (as the "simple"

aspiration to ?#ality) to aestheti$ %al#e an e6$ellen$e !or its o(n sa*e) as en initsel!. Art !or art4s sa*e. Moernism settle in in paintin& (ith impressionism) an(ith that) art !or art4s sa*e. 7or (hi$h same sa*e the s#$$essors in Moernism o! theimpressionists (ere !or$e to !or&et a'o#t tr#th to nat#re. They (ere !or$e to loo*e%en more o#tra&eo#sly ne(: CHzanne) Ga#&#in) ;e#rat) %an Go&h) an all theMoernist painters a!ter them ,, !or the sa*e o! aestheti$ %al#e) aestheti$ ?#ality)nothin& else.

8 ha%en4t !inishe (ith my e6position an e!inition o! Moernism. The mostessential part o! it $omes) !inally) no(. Moernism has to 'e #nerstoo as a holin&operation) a $ontin#in& enea%or to maintain aestheti$ stanars in the !a$e o! threats,, not #st as a rea$tion a&ainst romanti$ism. As the response) in e!!e$t) to an on&oin&



emer&en$y. Artists in all times) espite some appearan$es to the $ontrary) ha%eso#&ht aestheti$ e6$ellen$e. =hat sin&les Moernism o#t an &i%es it its pla$e anientity more than anythin& else is its response to a hei&htene sense o! threats toaestheti$ %al#e: threats !rom the so$ial an material am'ien$e) !rom the temper o! thetimes) all $on%eye thro#&h the emans o! a ne( an open $#lt#ral mar*et)

mile'ro( emans. Moernism ates !rom the time) in the mi,nineteenth $ent#ry)(hen that mar*et 'e$ame not only esta'lishe ,, it ha 'een there lon& 'e!ore ,, '#tentren$he an ominant) (itho#t si&ni!i$ant $ompetition.

;o 8 $ome at last to (hat 8 o!!er as an em'ra$in& an per#ra'le e!inition o!Moernism: that it $onsists in the $ontin#in& enea%or to stem the e$line o! aestheti$stanars threatene 'y the relati%e emo$ratization o! $#lt#re #ner in#strialismthat the o%erriin& an innermost lo&i$ o! Moernism is to maintain the le%els o! the

past in the !a$e o! an opposition that han4t 'een present in the past. Th#s the (holeenterprise o! Moernism) !or all its o#t(ar aspe$ts) $an 'e seen as 'a$*(ar,loo*in&. That seems parao6i$al) '#t reality is shot thro#&h (ith parao6) is

pra$ti$ally $onstit#te 'y it.

8t also 'elon&s to my e!inition o! Moernism that the $ontin#in& e!!ort to maintainstanars an le%els has 'ro#&ht a'o#t the (ienin& re$o&nition that art) thataestheti$ e6perien$e no lon&er nees to 'e #sti!ie in other terms than its o(n) thatart is an en in itsel! an that the aestheti$ is an a#tonomo#s %al#e. 8t $o#l no( 'ea$*no(le&e that art oesn4t ha%e to tea$h) oesn4t ha%e to $ele'rate or &lori!yany'oy or anythin&) oesn4t ha%e to a%an$e $a#ses that it has 'e$ome !ree to

istan$e itsel! !rom reli&ion) politi$s) an e%en morality. All it has to o is 'e &oo asart. This re$o&nition stays. 8t oesn4t matter that it4s still not &enerally ,, or rather$ons$io#sly ,, a$$epte) that art !or art4s sa*e still isn4t a respe$ta'le notion. 8t4s a$teon) an in !a$t it4s al(ays 'een a$te on. 8t4s 'een the #nerlyin& reality o! the

pra$ti$e o! art all alon&) '#t it too* Moernism to 'rin& this o#t into the open.

B#t to ret#rn to postmoern. A !rien an $ollea&#e ha 'een to a symposi#m a'o#t postmoern last sprin&. 8 as*e him ho( the term ha &otten e!ine at thatsymposi#m. As art) he ans(ere) that (as no lon&er sel!,$riti$al. 8 !elt a pan&. 8

mysel! ha (ritten t(enty years a&o that sel!,$riti$ism (as a istin&#ishin& trait o!Moernist art. My !rien4s ans(er mae me realize as 8 han4t 'e!ore ho( inae?#atethat (as as a $on%eyin& e!inition o! Moernism or the moern. -That 8 han4t the

presen$e o! min to as* my !rien #st ho( sel!,$riti$al art $o#l 'e tol !rom art that(asn4t sel!,$riti$al (as only in$iental. =e 'oth #nerstoo) in any $ase) that it han4tto o (ith the i!!eren$e 'et(een a'stra$t an !i&#rati%e) #st as (e also #nerstoothat the moern (asn4t $on!ine to parti$#lar styles) moes) or ire$tions o! art.

8! the e!inition o! Moernism or the moern that 8 no( o!!er has any %aliity) thenthe $r#$ial (or in "postmoernism" 'e$omes "post." The real) the only real)?#estion 'e$omes (hat it is that4s $ome a!ter an s#persee the moern a&ain) notin a temporal sense) '#t in a style,histori$al one. B#t it4s no #se) as 8 sai in the

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ensayos sobre estetica - clement greenberg

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