Formalism

             What does the word formalism mean to you? Give a brief outline of your understanding of formalism historically and technically in the visual arts. How do you use formalism in your work? Is it a major consideration, is it a tool like any other, do you perhaps not concern yourself with such analyses. Discuss.
             I was yet to come across the movement of formalism prior to researching for this essay but I will discuss what is now apparent to me, in my art and summerise this movement. Not concerning myself consciously with the ideals behind formalism in art ever before I now realise that I may have already used this tool, unknowingly. "These matters are not easy to be clear about if one has, in the background of one's mind, the traditional critical distinction between "form" and "content" as a valid and necessary distinction. To experience a work of art, as in making love, is to experience a human contact: and one can say equally well, the "content" is just the "form" involved or, the "form" is just the "content" involved." At first glance I do not make any distinction between form and content, an art work is a whole in my mind when I look upon it, I feel it is necessary to take in the full impact of an artwork and it needs both these aspects, form and content, to appeal to me. I will now discuss formalism and its main predecessor throughout this essay.
             "Formalism: 1. Strict adherence to or observance of prescribed customary forms." This simple meaning means more to me then a lot of the art meanings, which can be very technical. Strict adherence or observation of customary forms is something I do not often concern myself with in relation and opposing to the overall and content meanings of artwork.
             "Form: The constituent elements of a work of art independent of their meaning (e.g., the colour, composition, medium or size of a flag, rather than it...

More Essays:

APA     MLA     Chicago
Formalism. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 11:28, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/86013.html