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").A180 : Abstracts not constructed / informal material / splodges
from the most "Nuagist" to the most "Matter informalist" all types of play on the subtle properties of the painting medium and its coloured spaces (Zao Wou Ki, Sam Francis, Ben-Rath, …). A200 : Abstracts not constructed / informal Action Painting
from the most "Lyrical" to something aproaching handwriting, gesture as the bringing out of what is inside, a thing in its own right, or an attempt to communicate (Hans Hartung, Franz Kline, Georges Mathieu, Jean Messagier, …). A160 : Abstracts Geometrical constructs: "All over", soft constructs
with a certain sensitivity in materials or colour, reintroduced into the "hard" construct, whether square-based or not (S. Poliakoff, Malevitch, J.P Riopelle, Maurice Estève, M.H. Veira Da Silva, Barnett Newman, James Bishop, ...).
B axis : MATERIALITY
How does the materiality of what is shown come across?
(on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real").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,...). 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, ...).
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", ...).C130 : towards the intellectual side/ the essence of things inward looking work chiefly oriented towards: l'introspective
inner landscapes, emotions, feelings (Arpad Szenes, ...), serenity (Yves Klein's "Monochromes", ...), equilibrium ("mandalas" of Augustin Lesage or Adolf Wölfli, ...), memory (Boltenski "boxes", ...). 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, ...).
VANNIER Christine
www.christinevannier.com |
