So . . . Among the myriad forms of art/tekhnē

why do we focus on the v i s u a l ?

form

balance

. . . all enigmas . . .

force

symbolism

All of these images are

artifacts

object-images

both

PERceptual

but

CONceptual;

They could apply to any of the senses

and

to the way we make meaning from them--

and thus they could apply

to any kind of art

(since art results from your experience)

How are these objects “cultural”?

How do they “manipulate nature”?

What is their . . .

“THE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE”Plato

THE REPUBLIC, Book VIITranslated by Benjamin Jowett

. . . . .

“THE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE”Plato

THE REPUBLIC, Book VIITranslated by Benjamin Jowett

. . . . .

“ And now, I said . . .

“ let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: “

--Behold! Human beings living in an underground den, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads.

“ let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: “

--Behold! Human beings living in an underground den, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads.

“ let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: heads. “

--Behold! Human beings living in an underground den, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads.

let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: heads.

Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.

I see.

Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave.

To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images.

And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoner is released and disabused of his error.

Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him? . . .

The allegory: the prison-house is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun (physical light), and the sun outside the den is the light of knowledge, i.e. of truth.

The allegory: the prison-house is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun (physical light), and the sun outside the den is the light of knowledge, i.e. of truth.

[note that

“truth”

is not available to humans except

through an allegory . . . ]

Plato:

To “see” is to “know”:

insofar as “we humans” can “know”:

to know is to “see”

What do “we” “know”

when confronted by “art/tekhnē”?

What do “we” “know”

when confronted by “art/tekhnē”?

We “know” we are connected to culture. . .

through metaphor, allegory, narrative.

What art is not . . .

TruthBeautyPower

AbsoluteSacred

Etc.

Those are all concepts that frame artifacts (art objects),

and that contribute to various definitions of “art.”

IF

IFThe origins of art are in

IFThe origins of art are in

magic

IFThe origins of art are in

magichunting

IFThe origins of art are in

magichunting

proto-community

IFThe origins of art are in

magichunting

proto-communityproto-communication . . .

THEN

THEN

Those origins coincide with

THEN

Those origins coincide with

“the human”

THEN

Those origins coincide with

“the human”“culture”

THEN

Those origins coincide with

“the human”“culture”

“the social.”

. . . social . . .

. . . social . . .

L. “socius”

. . . social . . .

L. “socius”

alliescompanions

grouptribe

socius . . .

COMMON COMMUNICATION

image . . .

language . . .

LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE

L. lingua

LANGUAGE

L. lingua

“tongue”

Once language becomes centralTo the formation of “society,”

It “frames” everything within it,Including the “cultural” or “societal” artifact.

CULTURE

CULTURE (activity)

CULTURE (activity)

SOCIETY

CULTURE (activity)

SOCIETY (framework)

CULTURE (activity)

SOCIETY (framework)

ARTIFACT

CULTURE (activity)

SOCIETY (framework)

ARTIFACT (product)

CULTURE (activity)

SOCIETY (framework)

ARTIFACT (product)

ART

CULTURE (activity)

SOCIETY (framework)

ARTIFACT (result)

ART (concept)

CULTURE (activity)

SOCIETY (framework)

ARTIFACT (result)

ART (concept)

Art as unifying (or disunifying) conceptproduced by—but defining—the social.

“society” =

Conceptual and Literal

Framing

Framing

Contextualizes or “gives art meaning”

(“meaning” isn’t “in there” . . . )

Ask not

What is the artist trying to do to me?

Ask not

What is the artist trying to do to me?

but rather

What does the artwork

evoke

In me?