Heidegger and Modern Art
This article was written in April 13, 2023. But I translated it at the end of July of 2023. So please understand if there is fault. I'm still growing and not good enough.
Still Life of Shoes (1886) by Vincent Van GoghThese days, I study Heidegger's philosophy. Persenally, although I like his exitentialism philosophy, I have thought that I need to study his philosophy because I know his thought so slightly. So I started studying him because my thesis is done. Heidegger is one of the most important philosopher in history of western philosophy. But, it's not easy to approach and understand his philosophy although he had much influence to many philosophers, include comtemporary with us. First, he use a synonym of this word so many times. Sometimes, he says "Das Seiende", and somestiems, he does "Dasein". Although I never read his book, I can sure it's quite hard to understand words in Heidegger's books. So, I read some guide books rather than reading translated 『Sein und Zei』 (1927). Even if I read guide books, I can't understand his thought exactly. Although I know it roughly, if someone ask me to explain it or write, I will not able to do that. But, in the midst of all that, inspiration comes to me.
Heidegger and Art
When I think about the philosopher called Heidegger, the word, "Being", comes to mind. Before Heidegger, he said that philosophers like Plato did the philsophy about Being(the state of being) only and they didn't do about a person of existence(the one that is). So, according to Heidegger, they just thought about the state of being and didn't think about the "one that is" seriously.
As known as the philosopher of existence, Heidegger discussed the concept of existence when he discusses about art works. Heidegger says that the essence of art indicates that the truth of being is establishing itself in the work.
First, we need to address the relationship between objects and humans before discussing his aesthetic. For example, the purpose of knife is determined by the person who uses it. If cook holds knife, it would look like to be used for cooking, if criminal holds it, it would look like a deadly weapon and if a blacksmith holds it, the knife in his hand would look like his works. Although each of them holds same object, the knife, why the knife becomes different tool to each of them? I'm drooling and looking forward to it because I think the chef will scoop tuna sashimi with a knife, but I'm afraid the criminal will harm me if he holds the knife. The reason why the same object, the knife, gives an different impression is the relationship between being, also known as "Dasein", and the object.
Personally, the most impressive concept of Heidegger philsophy is "thrownness". It means that we are thrown to the this world regardless of our own intention and decision. So human, Heidegger calls Dasein, has no essence. But, in case of object, if human intend to make the essence of object, it can. For example, the car is made for riding on the road and the boat is made for riding on water. If they aren't made, they already have essence of being. Although the aren't made yet, they already have the essence of being. In case of human, he can be navy, army or airforce if he want to be . But, boat can do its role in water only and car can do its role in earth only. So, we can say that the essence of object is already almost decided.
However, what is the essence of the knife which I mentioned? It seems like that the purpose of it would be cutting something. what is cut might be fish, meat and others. So, I can sure that the essence of the knife is cutting something. But, by the relationship between object called knife and personality of being, the telos of knife would differ. Like I mentioned in front of, if cook gets the knife, it would be tool and if criminal gets knife, it would be a deadly weapon.
Back to the art philosophy, Heidegger said that the essence of art works is that the indicating of establishing being's own truth in the art works. What does he mean? After looking his definition, I thought that "Does artist's artwork contain his truth as an extension of the existence of the being?". Making a artwork is like creating one world. Art made by a Dasein is his world. During procedure he creates it, he makes an extension of existence as leaving a trace his intention and truth. Heidegger said the place artwork stands itself is "Erde" and according to him, when artwork embraces the meaning of his being but it hides it, it is on erde but when it reveals the me.aning of his, it is on the world.
If it reveals "what is Da-sein and how does he exist", it seem like that the truth occurs at the artwork. So, artwork shows being's truth.
『현대미학 특강』, 이주영 지음 中
So, artwork is a comprehensive thing created by being,or called artist, and it contains being's truth. It's on erde when it hides its truth and it's object for riddle and but it's on the world when it reveals truth and occur the truth at artwork. If so, isn't it that a being or an artist not only leaves his existence in form through a work, but also casts himself into the world through a medium of work?
Heidegger Aesthetic and Modern Art
Fountain (1917) by Marcel DuchampWhen we talk about modern art, Fountain, Duchamp's work, is indispensable. If you leave out this work when you talk about modern art, you would discuss only the period before him or after him. That work by Duchamp marked a big milestone in the history of art. At first, when he submitted that urinal as artwork by using false name "Richad Mutt", people didn't pay attention and not treat as artwork. However, after people recognize it was Duchamp's plot, that urinal was treated as artwork. It is just normal industrial product. But, Duchamp signed on it.
I want to call the dadaistic innovation like Duchamp's that work "Copernian revolution in art". Originally, the work is recognized as authentic artwork only when artist made it totally from A to Z. But, after Duchamp, the procedure of making artwork doesn't matter. what artist intends is more important rather than what artwork shows us. So, hegemony or power relationship between artist and artwork moves to artwork from artist.
That artwork itself isn't important and intention of artist is important reminds me Heidegger's aesthetics. According to his aesthetics, what contains being's truth is artwork and what has phenomenological similarity to being is not. If so, wouldn't there be some intersection between Heidegger's definition of artwork and the definition of modern art after Duchamp. So, like I said in front of this article, for Heidegger, artwork is the extension of existence of being and that extension is established by intention of being. If we appreciate difficult modern artwork in Heidegger's aspect, Wouldn't what can't be treated as artwork like urinal be able to be artwork?
But I'm also concerned that there will never be a true artwork like Duchamp's. The reason why "Fountain" by Duchamp is artwork is that it has affected much in art world. The fact that it is first time in the world makes urinal artwork. I wonder if it's possible to vessel the truth in object or not and how it does. Can it all be a artwork if I intend to do something and make an intention of it?
