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").A430 : Neo Figurative "Free figures' and "Neo Comic strip" A more "sophisticated" style than Naive Art and Art Brut, etc. combining art with popular imagery, advertising, comic strip, 80s rock cullture (Robert Combas, Hervé Di Rosa, Keith Harring, …) but also with the "Manga" style from the 90s or machine clip art from the 21st century. A220 : Abstracts with signs The work as a whole remains abstract but includes (or consists entirely of): signs forming writing: writing with meaning the "Letterists" (Isidore Isou, Maurice Lemaitre, …) to the "Conceptuals" (Joseph Kossuth, Roman Opalka, …); writing ranging from the most formalist to pure communication (Ben, On Kawara, Barbara Kruger, ...).
B axis : MATERIALITY How does the materiality of what is shown come across? (on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real").B230 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: Structured structured combinations any combinations of lines, colours, matter or volumes of a more structured type (Michail Heizer, Anish Kapoor, Miguel Barceló, ...).
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", ...).C120 : towards the intellectual side/ the essence of things inward looking work chiefly oriented towards: projective dreams, poetry, lyricism, psychedelic experience … to "project" an inner world (Henri Michaux, Wols, ...). C160 : tending towards the corporeal / the senses via expression with "humanity" (the passage from Life to Death) - in a literal manner (John de Andrea, Duane Hanson, Itsvan Sandorfi, ...) - or a symbolic manner (James Ensor, G. Rouault, F. Gruber, Zoran Music, Rebeca Stevenson, Jan Vercruysse, ...), ...
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, ...). D150 : via what is meaningful based on the idea that work on what symbolizes forms an intentional message in itself (for example: Daniel Dezeuze's "Stretchers", etc., etc., ...). because the work itself contains a really clear message (Jenny Hölzer's illuminated messages, texts by Ben or On Kawara, ...). D165 : tending towards the worldly "Relational Aesthetics" and the like "installations" by Rirkrit Tiravanija, Thomas Hirschhorn, Mathieu Laurette, ...). RICHIE FARET www.richiefaret.com |