The classification provides four or more codes placed on four axis (A - formalism, B - matériality, C - involvement body/mind, D - communication). These codes are positionning the artist in the art history. A axis : FORMALISM When looking at the work, what type of formalisation first strikes the eye? Is it more abstract or more figurative, etc ? (on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "realist").A260 : Allusive almost figurative beginning with shapes, matter or gestures, fairly obvious representations of figures (Dubuffet, Fautrier, Bacon, ...) A420 : Neo Figurative Near-figurative, linear structures - Flat colours The simplest style between Naive Art, Folk Art, illustration and comic strip (Gaston Chaissac, V.Brauner, Yvon Taillandier, Eliane Larus, ...). In 2D but also in 3D (Sculptures by J. Dubuffet, Niki de St Phalle, ...).
B axis : MATERIALITY How does the materiality of what is shown come across? (on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real").B190 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: Structured lines / flat areas / Drawing Strong lines bounding coloured areas, or the drawings contained within (R.Indiana, P. Stampfli, V. Adami, H. Télémaque, M. Sanejouand, Aki Kuroda,...). Or importance of "line" in the drawing (Hans Bellmer, Pierre Klossowski, J.L.Guitard,...). B200 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: Structured with colours predominant with their intrinsic or symbolic strength, (Monory's "blues", G.Fromanger's "reds") historical or social meaning etc., and their structuring, the colours here are the most important (Jules Olitsky, Peter Halley, ...). B180 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: mixed materiality: structured / unstructured when a work is "structured" in its "lack of structure", and vice versa (repetition of forms, signs, matter ... Viallat, Toroni, Degottex, Hantaï,...).
C axis : INVOLVEMENT BODY/ MIND With what body:mind ratio does the artist enter into his work? Classify from the most "intellectual" (e.g."Concept Art"...) to the most "physical" (e.g. "Body Art", ...).C140 : towards the intellectual side/ the essence of things inward looking work chiefly oriented towards: fantasmagoric fantasies of all types, be they sexual, social, religious or any other type, so long as there is formal mastery (from Georgia O'Keeffe to Annette Messager, through Clovis Trouille, ...). C180 : tending towards the corporeal / the senses via expression with a frank sensuality, or even openly sexual either literal (Courbet's "Origin of the world", Lucian Freud, John Kacere, P. Klossowki, David Salle, Gilbert and George, ...), - symbolic (Paul Armand Gette, Andreas Serrano, ...), - humorous (Gilles Barbier "cerveau", Boyd Webb "the globe" , ...), - or "realist" (certain "Body-artists" such as Otto Muehl, Paul Mc Carthy's "installations" , Zoran Naskovski's videos, ...), ...
D axis : COMMUNICATION Does the artist have the deliberate intention to convey a message of any sort through his work? (classified from the most "mystical" to the most "worldly").D115 : via what is meant in various narrations or symbolisms whatever they may be allegorical, metaphorical (J. Beuys' "materials", ...), analytical (Mario Merz's "Fibonacci series", or those of Robert Filliou, ...), critical (from Henri Cueco to Hans Haacke or Guillaume Bijl, ...). GAZIO www.gazio.fr |