materiality, materialism and conceptuality in art and society...materiality, materialism &...

Materiality,Materialism&ConceptualityinArt&Society.RHoneymanAGM79Page1

Materiality,MaterialismandConceptualityinArtandSociety

Adiscussionofprocessesinvolvedinartpractice,andtheirrelationshipto

philosophyandsocialchange

RussellHoneymanSN12828690

MAFineArt,BrightonUniversity

EssaycomponentmoduleAGM79

Essay5,333words

24August2018.

EssaySummaryTheessaylooksatthemeaningofartinasocialandpoliticalcontext.Itfollowsathreadofhistoryshowingtherelationshipofarttosocietyandpolitics,andidentifiesculturalperspectives-materialityandconceptuality–todeveloptheconceptofartasaphilosophywithoutwords.Wearriveatasenseofartandcultureasimmanent,embeddedinsociety,andofferinganalternativevaluesystemtopostmodernism’s‘capitalistrealism’.


AnselmKieferLaBerceuse(2010)Amagnificentembodimentoftherelationshipbetweenmaterialityand

conceptualityisKiefer’sLaBerceuse(2010).1Itisphotographedabove,installedinfrontofRembrandt’sNightWatch,1624attheReichsmuseum,Amsterdam.2

Kiefer’ssculpturehasbeenplacedinfrontofRembrandt’spainting,andframesit

asmaterialityframestheconceptual.TheNightWatchisapremonitionofEnlightenmentvaluesandconcepts,depictingbourgeoismensettingofftoenforcepropertyrights.Theyarecontained,inthisinstallation,byKiefer’s

sculpture,amysterious,earthything,composedofhugedriedsunflowers.Thesunflowersformachaoticmatrixofgreyishstuff,possiblysymbolisingthe

ineffablestuffofthecosmos.

Thesunflowersmayyetbecolouredbyhumansensesandaestheticprocess,sinceKiefer’sworkLaBerceusereferencesVincentVanGogh,famousforsunflowerpaintings.VanGogh’spaintingLaBerceuseisanexerciseinthematerialityofpaint,combinedwithconceptsofcolourtheoryandmaternal

comfort.3AlsoreferencedareVanGogh’sChairpaintings.BothLaBerceuseandtheChairswerepaintedintheaftermathofVanGogh’sargumentwithGauguin-

aboutwhetherpaintingwasbestdonefromlifeorfromimagination.4

1ReviewedinArtNews:http://www.artnews.com/2011/08/15/kiefer-on-night-watch/2PhotoCredit:ArtStack-https://theartstack.com/artist/anselm-kiefer/la-berceuse3VanGogh’sLaBerceuse:https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/jun/29/art,4VanGoghandGauguin:http://www.artcyclopedia.com/feature-2001-11.html


Conceptuality,MaterialityandMaterialisminArtandSociety

ContentsEssaySummary....................................................................................................................................1AnselmKieferLaBerceuse(2010)..........................................................................................2

Conceptuality,MaterialityandMaterialisminArtandSociety ......................................3Contents.........................................................................................................................................3

1.Introduction.................................................................................................................................32.TheentwiningofArtandSociety .......................................................................................42.1Avant-Garde,vanguardandMarxism .......................................................................42.2Postmodernart:WWI,DuchampandDada ..........................................................52.3Duchamp:artisdefinedbytheartist,andvalidatedbyanaudience .........62.4Greenberg:thepersistenceofautonomousart ....................................................72.5ConceptualismandtheideaofpureconceptasArt............................................82.6PoliticalAesthetic:multiplereadingsofCarlAndre’sBricks .........................82.7ArtistasSocialActivist–JosephBeuys ....................................................................92.8MaterialitycontainsConceptuality-AnselmKiefer ........................................ 11

3.MaterialismtoMateriality:PhilosophicalelementsofArtandSociety.......... 123.1MaterialityandConceptuality ................................................................................... 123.2Materialism........................................................................................................................ 133.3MaterialityandMaterialism:apostmodern,postpoliticalperspective 153.4MaterialityandMarxism.............................................................................................. 163.5PureConceptisimpossible-ArtneedsaMaterialaspect ............................ 163.6TheineffableotherofMateriality ............................................................................ 183.7Art’spurposeandvaluetosociety .......................................................................... 19

4.Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 207.Bibliography,Appendixes................................................................................................... 207.1Bibliography...................................................................................................................... 207.2Appendixes ........................................................................................................................ 217.2.1Keytermsasusedinthisessay............................................................................. 217.2.2Anoteonconceptualityandmaterialityasaspectsofconsciousness. 22

1.IntroductionThisessayasksaboutthepurposeofart,inrelationtosociety.Itlooksatthemateriality,andconceptuality,inhumanitiesandartpractice.Itsuggestswemightcomparearttophilosophy:adialogueorinvestigationofourbeing.Whereasphilosophyengagesindialogueusingwords(andconcepts)tobuildlogicalarguments;atleastsomeofarts’dialogueoccurswithoutwords,conceptsorlogic.Suchnon-conceptualdialoguemightincludeempathyorintuitionandmateriality.Materialityisaperspectivethatseesmaterialsasafactorinshapingthehumanexperience,inanthropology,sociologyandart.Thisinvitescomparisonwith


Marx’smaterialistperspective.However,materialityismaterialismdeconstructedbypostmodernism-itallowsforsomethingoutsidelogic.Thisintroducestheintriguingpossibilityofartpracticeasawayofaddressingthepostmoderncondition,byprovidinganalternativevaluetopurematerialism.Theessaystartsoutexaminingaparticularthreadofart,politicsandphilosophytoshowhowcloselyinterwoventheyare,andtorevealprocessesofmaterialityandconceptuality.Itthendiscussestheseprocesses.Itconcludesthat(art)practicemightofferanalternativevaluesystemtocapitalism.

2.TheentwiningofArtandSocietyInthissectionIfollowathreadofhistorybydiscussingtheworkofartistsinthecontextofpoliticsandculturaltheory.Idemonstratethatart,societyandphilosophyareentwined,andidentifycoreprocessesofMaterialityandConceptuality.

2.1Avant-Garde,vanguardandMarxismTheFrenchrevolutionof1789wasdefinedandinspiredbymodernistthinkingthatpromotedequalityandtherightsofman.WhileRomanticsprotestedagainstsomesocialandspiritualconsequencesofmodernism,rationalthinkersproposedfurtherradicalreforms,sothehorrorsofindustrialagecouldbemitigated.5Artistsandwriterswereseenasvisionariesinthevanguardofsocialchange.Thefirstuseoftheterm‘avant-garde’-asamovementcallingonartiststopromoteradicalreformsinsociety-wasbyamemberoftheearlysocialistutopianmovementleadbyStSimone.In1825,OlindeRodriguescalledonartiststo"serveas[thepeople's]avant-garde…thepoweroftheartsisthemostimmediateandfastestway"tosocial,politicalandeconomicreform.6Theterm‘vanguard’cametoreferthosepromotingnewideas,inallareasofsociety.7Artmovementssuchasimpressionism,cubism,futurism,suprematismandconstructivismpursuednewformsofvisualrepresentation.

5‘SocialmanifestationsoftheEnlightenment,suchasscience,capitalismandindustrialism,causedareactioninthenineteenthcentury,identifiedasRomanticism.“Modernitydividedmanfromhimselfbyenforcingthedualitybetweenreasonandsensibilityandseveredtheindividualfromhisnaturalsocialrelations…italsoalienatedmanfromnature.Modernscience…wasregardedasthemainculprit”.’Gorodeisky,Keren,"19thCenturyRomanticAesthetics",TheStanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy(Fall2016Edition),EdwardN.Zalta(ed.)1.6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avant-garde7SaschaBruandGuntherMartens,TheInventionofPoliticsintheEuropeanAvant-Garde(1906–1940)(Amsterdam:Rodopi,2006),p.21.[inhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avant-garde


KarlMarxcombinedsocialistideaswithmaterialistphilosophyandHegel’s‘dialectical’method,toproposeaphilosophicalframeworkforsocialchange.Materialism(discussedindetaillaterinthisessay)saysthecosmosismadeofmatter,whichdetermineseverything,includingconsciousness.Itrejectstheidealistic,dualisticphilosophyofKant(whichclaimsatranscendentdimensionwheregodandartistgeniuscanexist,superiortomatter).Marx’sdialecticalmaterialismallowshimtoproposethatmaterialism,ratherthanhumanconsciousness,definessociety.Capitalismandtheclasssystemisaninevitableoutcome–andrevolutionistheinevitableoutcomeofsuchasystem.8WhileMarxleftnomajorwritingsabouttheroleofartinsocialchange,9SocialistrealismandutopianartsuchasthatofDiegoRiveraexpressestheseideas.

2.2Postmodernart:WWI,DuchampandDadaConcurrentwiththeevolutionofMarxistmaterialism,DadaandtheSurrealistscontinuedtheRomanticresistancetothesocialconsequencesofmodernism.Theychallengedeverythingfromsocialstructurestolanguagetotheideaofwhatartis.DadawasanalmostnihilistreactionagainstthecapitalistestablishmentandtheslaughterofWorldWarI.“Weagreedthatthewarhadbeencontrivedbythevariousgovernmentsforthemostautocratic,sordidandmaterialistreasons,”saidCarlHeulsenbeck,oneofthefoundersofDadainSwitzerland,in1917.108‘TheThesesonFeuerbachcontainoneofMarx’smostmemorableremarks:“thephilosophershaveonlyinterpretedtheworld,thepointistochangeit”(thesis11).InthefirstthesisMarxstateshisobjectionsto‘allhithertoexisting’materialismandidealism.Materialismiscomplimentedforunderstandingthephysicalrealityoftheworld,butiscriticisedforignoringtheactiveroleofthehumansubjectincreatingtheworldweperceive.Idealism,atleastasdevelopedbyHegel,understandstheactivenatureofthehumansubject,butconfinesittothoughtorcontemplation:theworldiscreatedthroughthecategoriesweimposeuponit.Marxcombinestheinsightsofbothtraditionstoproposeaviewinwhichhumanbeingsdoindeedcreate—oratleasttransform—theworldtheyfindthemselvesin,butthistransformationhappensnotinthoughtbutthroughactualmaterialactivity;notthroughtheimpositionofsublimeconceptsbutthroughthesweatoftheirbrow,withpicksandshovels.Thishistoricalversionofmaterialism,whichtranscendsandthusrejectsallexistingphilosophicalthought,isthefoundationofMarx’slatertheoryofhistory.AsMarxputsitinthe1844Manuscripts,‘Industryistherealhistoricalrelationshipofnature…toman’.Thisthought,derivedfromreflectiononthehistoryofphilosophy,togetherwithhisexperienceofsocialandeconomicrealities,asajournalist,setstheagendaforallMarx’sfuturework.’Wolff,Jonathan,"KarlMarx",TheStanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy(Winter2017Edition),EdwardN.Zalta(ed.),URL=.2.4.ThesesonFeuerbach9‘ThoughMarxandEngelshaveleftnomajorwritingsonart,theirviewsinthisfield,whencollectedtogether,formaharmoniouswholewhichisalogicalextensionoftheirscientificandrevolutionaryWeltanschauung’.https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/subject/art/preface.htm10DawnAndes,DadaandSurrealism,ConceptsofModernArt(London,ThamesandHudson,1994)111.


HugoBall,anotherfounderofDada,wrotein1920:“TheDadaist…knowsthatthisworldofsystemshasgonetopieces,andthattheagewhichdemandedcashhasorganisedabargainsaleofgodlessphilosophies.”11In1917,FrenchartistMarcelDuchampdefinedtherevolutionagainstmodernismandKant’sEnlightenmentaesthetics,whenhesignedamass-producedceramicurinal,titledtheworkFountain,andsubmittedittoanexhibitioninNewYorkorganisedbytheSocietyofIndependentArtists.12Duchampavoidedbeingassociatedwithpoliticalorartmovements.In1942,hesaid:‘Dadawasanextremeprotestagainstthephysicalsideofpainting.Itwasametaphysicalattitude’.13Hewasmoreintellectualthanpolitical,interestedinmanyaspectsofculturefromphilosophytophysics,mathematicsandaeronautics,andfrequentlystatedthathepreferredchesstoart.However,hisre-categorisationofaurinalasanartworktookplaceagainstabackgroundofculturalandpoliticalupheaval,intheyeartheUSAjoinedWorldWarIandcommunismtoppledtheRussianTsar.Fountainisastatementaboutart,butalsoaboutsocialclass,asitelevatedamundanearticlemanufacturedbytheproletariat.Duchamp’sFountainwaschosenin2004as"themostinfluentialartworkofthe20thcentury"byasurveyof500artistsandhistorians.14TheSurrealistswhofollowedDada“inheritedthebourgeoisieasitsenemyandcontinueditsattackontraditionalformsofart”.15TheFrenchSurrealistssplitovertheissueofsupportfortheCommunistPartyin1932.16

2.3Duchamp:artisdefinedbytheartist,andvalidatedbyanaudienceDuchamp’sFountainwasrejectedbyexhibitionorganisersin1917,butintheresultingpublicity,thecategoryof‘readymade’Artwasborn,as‘anordinaryobjectelevatedtothedignityofaworkofartbythemerechoiceofanartist."1711DawnAndes,DadaandSurrealism,ConceptsofModernArt(London,ThamesandHudson,1994)111.12CarolineCros,MarcelDuchamp(London,ReaktionBooks2006)47.13MarcelDuchamp,inTheMuseumofModernArtBulletin,NewYork:TheMuseumofModernArt,1946.http://www.dadart.com/dadaism/dada/035a-duchamp-cage.html14TheopinionpollnamingFountainasthemostinfluentialworkwascommissionedfortheTurnerPrizein2004.CharlotteHiggins,"Workofartthatinspiredamovement...aurinal"(TheGuardian2December2004)https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/dec/02/arts.artsnews1.15DawnAndes,DadaandSurrealism,ConceptsofModernArt(London,ThamesandHudson,1994)12216https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism#Internal_politics17Thisfirstdefinitionof"readymade"appearedinAndréBretonandPaulÉluard'sDictionnaireabrégéduSurréalisme,publishedunderthenameofMarcelDuchamp(orhisinitials,"MD,"tobeprecise).AndréGervaisassertsthatBretonwrotethisparticulardictionaryentry.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Readymades_of_Marcel_Duchamp


Ineffect,DuchamprefutedKant’sideasthatamysteriousqualityof‘genius’andsenseof‘taste’wasneededtoproduceandappreciateart.AnyartistcandefineanythingasbeingofArt.Inotherwords:ordinarythingsaretransformedintoArtbyhumanaction–atleastbytheactionofchoosing,identifying,andproposingbytheartist.Duchampupdatedhisideasin1957whenheaddedthatArtneedsanaudience,whoagreesthatitisArt.18Further,artmuststandthetestoftime,tobeacceptedintoculture-books,criticismandinstitutions.Ifitdoesnot,thenitwillbeforgotten.ForDuchamp,ArtbecametheideaorconceptofArtsharedbyanartistandaudience–asocialgroup.TheartisconceptualratherexistinginMateriality.Thatperson,theartist,canbeanyone.AsJosephBeuysfamouslydeclared:‘everyhumanisanartist’.19Bythelate1960s,Duchamp’sideasledtoConceptualism.ConceptualismwasabreakwithFormalism:themodernist,Kantian(andGreenbergian)notionthateverythingnecessaryforunderstandingArtiscontainedwithinthephysicalartwork–thecontextoftheartwork,suchasunderlyingconcept,isofsecondaryimportance.

2.4Greenberg:thepersistenceofautonomousartEvenasDuchamp’sideaswerebeingexpressedasConceptualism,Kant’sideasofartisticgeniusandpureformenjoyednewlife.AmericancriticClementGreenbergusedFormalismtoanalysemodernart–andtorejectpoliticalartas‘kitsch’,alongsideanyotherartthatwasovertlyideologicalorconceptual.20Greenberg’ssearchforanessentialartisticoriginalityinartwasdrawnfromKant’sideasofartisticgenius,apositionofculturalelitismthatrequired‘taste’.Greenbergdemandedthatartistsstrivetorevealthiselusive‘original’artistic

18'TheCreativeAct',1957(Duchamp'slectureinHouston,April1957);asquotedinArtNews,56.no.4,Summer1957,p.28–29.InApril1957attheAmericanFederationofArtsinHouston,Texas,MarcelDuchampgaveatalk‘TheCreativeAct’.Hesaid:‘Letusconsider…thetwopolesofthecreationofart:theartistontheonehand,andontheotherthespectatorwholaterbecomestheposterity…thecreativeactisnotperformedbytheartistalone;thespectatorbringstheworkincontactwiththeexternalworldbydecipheringandinterpretingitsinnerqualificationandthusaddshiscontributiontothecreativeact.Thisbecomesevenmoreobviouswhenposteritygivesafinalverdictandsometimesrehabilitatesforgottenartists’.(https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp).19JochenLittkemann,PressReleaseforBeuysretrospective:UtopiaattheStagMonuments,GalerieThaddaeusRopac,London,17Apr2018-16Jun2018.https://ropac.net/exhibition/utopia-at-the-stag-monuments20ClementGreenberg,"Avant-GardeandKitsch"PartisanReview6(Paris,Fall1939)


essencebystrippingawaynon-essentialelements(includingconcepts).21Greenberg’sdemandfor‘purity’ofFormultimatelyledtoMinimalism.Possibly,Greenberg’sideaswerepopularbecausetheyreflectedgrowingreactionagainstStalinism,andcommunistwitchhuntsof1950’sAmerica.Theygaveprogressiveartistsatheoreticalframeworkforradicalismthatexcludedcommunism.GreenbergcelebratedPicassoasanoriginalartistbeforehepaintedGuernicaandjoinedtheFrenchCommunistparty–andafterthisdate,dismissedPicassoasadecliningforce.22Greenberg’ssearchforanessentialartisticoriginalityinartwasdrawnfromKant’sideasofartisticgenius,apositionofculturalelitismthatrequired‘taste’.Greenbergdemandedthatartistsstrivetorevealan‘authentic’artisticessencebystrippingawaynon-essentialelements(includingconcepts).Greenberg’sdemandfor‘purity’ofFormultimatelyledtoMinimalism.

2.5ConceptualismandtheideaofpureconceptasArtConceptualismwasareactionagainsttheFormalism.In1968,theoristSolLeWittdeclared:"Whattheworkofartlookslikeisn'ttooimportant…itmustbeginwithanidea."23Theidea,orconcept,alonecouldbeArt.In1968,LaurenceWeinercreatedanartbookStatements,whichwasadescriptionofartprojectsandwastheendpoint;theartitself.Weinerwrote“(1)Theartistmayconstructthepiece.(2)Thepiecemaybefabricated.(3)Thepiecemaynotbebuilt.[Eachbeingequalandconsistentwiththeintentoftheartist,thedecisionastoconditionrestswiththereceiverupontheoccasionofreceivership.]”.24

2.6PoliticalAesthetic:multiplereadingsofCarlAndre’sBricksArtcanbeanalysedindifferentframeworkssimultaneously.Thechoiceofframeworkreflectspoliticalattitudes.Forexample,CarlAndre’spileofbricks,EquivalentVIII1966,whichwaspurchasedbytheTatein1976,iscitedasanexampleofMinimalistArt,reducingarttotheformalqualitiesofthemedium.25ButaswellasbeingMinimalist,thisartcanalsobeviewedfromaMaterialistperspective.Andrehimselfdescribedthisworkintheseterms.Amemberoftheanti-Vietnamwargroup,theArtWorkersCoalition,hefrequentlyreferencedMarx.InalettertotheBritishjournalStudioInternationalin1976,hewrote:

21ClementGreenberg,“ModernistPainting”,ForumLectures(Washington:VoiceofAmerica,1960)http://www.yorku.ca/yamlau/readings/greenberg_modernistPainting.pdf22ClaudiaMesch,ArtandPolitics,(NewYork,IBTauris,2013)28.23SolLeWitt,ParagraphsonConceptualArt,196724https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/lawrence-weiner25https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/carl-andre-648


“Myworkdoesjoyfullycelebratethelabourofothersandthewinningofhumanusevaluefromindifferentmatter”,andwentontoquotefromMarx:“Labouristhelivingfirethatshapesthepattern”.26ThoughtsaboutaestheticsandpoliticswerepresentinAndre’sprocess,andhealsophysicallyinteractedwithvariousmaterialsinmeditativefashion.ThisentwiningofconceptualityandmaterialityinCarlAndre’spracticeisdescribedinAlistairRider’sPhDThesis.27

2.7ArtistasSocialActivist–JosephBeuysJosephBeuysadmiredMarcelDuchampbutadmonishedhis‘silence’.Beuyswantedarttoengagewithsocietyinaprogressiveway;hebelievedthecreativeprocesscouldhelpevolveindividualsandtheywouldthenbuildabettersociety.Hewantedtoeliminatethebarriersbetweenartandlifeinacreativeprocess‘socialsculpture’,acollaborativeperformancethatchangessociety.28Themostambitiousoftheseprojects,7,000Oaks,sawtheplantingoftreestogetherwithsymbolicstonepostsinKassel.Thiswasenvisaged,announcedandperformedasacooperativeartprojectatDocumentaVIIin1982,andhasinspiredsimilarexercisesaroundtheworld.Itwasnotsimplyaninitiativetoplanttrees,buttoengagethecommunityinacreativeprocessofpersonalandsocialconsciousness-raising.29‘Politicscallsforaconceptofcreativityandculturethattrulyembraceshumanbeingsandmakesthemawareofhowthewholecanbeconceived,’Beuyssaidin1985.30Beuyssawcreativityasauniversalprincipleextendingbeyondtraditionalartactivitiesintoallareasofhumanproduction.Hebelievedinthe‘revolutionarypowerofarttounlockthepotentialforcreativityineveryone,andinthiswaytotransformsociety’.Beuys’‘utopianvisionofsocialtransformationthroughindividualcreativityandself-determinationwasexpressedthroughhisart,butalsothroughactions,lecturesandsustainedpoliticalactivism.’31Beuysbelievedcreativeprocessisessentialtothepersonaltransformationnecessaryforsocialtransformation.ForBeuys,thiscreativeprocesswasartpracticeembeddedinmateriality,usingpainting,sculpture,printandnaturalandmanufacturedmaterials.Theoutputofhissocialsculpturewasmaterial

26PetraLange-Berndt,Materiality,(London/CambridgeUSA,WhitechapelGallery/MITPress,2015)68-69.27AlistairRider,CarlAndre,Sculptures,Politics,1959-1976(PhDLeedsUniversity2005)http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/1643/1/uk_bl_ethos_421980.pdf28AllanAntiliff,JosephBeuys,(London,PhaidonPress2014)65.29AllanAntiliff,JosephBeuys,(London,PhaidonPress2014)126.30AllanAntiliff,JosephBeuys,(London,PhaidonPress2014)125.31JochenLittkemann,PressReleaseforBeuysretrospective:UtopiaattheStagMonuments,GalerieThaddaeusRopac,London,17Apr2018-16Jun2018.https://ropac.net/exhibition/utopia-at-the-stag-monuments


ratherthanword/conceptbased.Ideaswouldbedrawninchalkontheground.Treeplantingwasaccompaniedbyerectingstonemonuments.Blackboards,ratherthantypedminutes,weretheoutputofworkshops.In1974,heparticipatedintheLondonInstituteforContemporaryArts(ICA)exhibitionArtintoSociety–SocietyintoArt,byengagingthepublicincollaborativeworkshops,resultingin100blackboardscoveredinsocialanalysisand‘possiblefutures’.TheseblackboardsbecameaninstallationDirectiveForces,exhibitedinNewYorkandnowhousedinBerlin’sHamburgerBanhoffMuseum.32DespitethematerialityofBeuyswork,ithasrootsintheconceptual.In1947hebeganstudyingRudolfSteiner’sphilosophy,andthisunderpinsaspectsofhisworkincludingshamanismandmateriality.Steinerbelievedhuman’scapacitytolearn‘isanexerciseinspiritualgrowththroughcreativethought,whichextendsoursenseofselfhoodbeyondtherealmofthephysicalintotherealmofthespiritual’.33BecausemuchofBeuysworkwasindividualorcollaborativeperformance,someartworkconsistsoftheremainsofworkshops,actionsandstudioactivitiesphotographsandstudiodetritus.34Beuysmadehisideasintoasocialreality.In1971,hefoundedtheOrganisationforDirectDemocracythroughReferendum,whichcalledforanendtopartypolitics.35InJanuary1980,heparticipatedinthefoundingoftheGreenPartyinGermany36,whichwasthefirstGreenPartytorisetonationalprominence.

32AllanAntiliff,JosephBeuys,(London,PhaidonPress2014)74.33AllanAntiliff,JosephBeuys,(London,PhaidonPress2014)18.34AnexhibitionofBeuysworkinLondon,2018,UtopiaattheStagmonuments,wasareconstructionofoneofBeuys’lastshows.ItwastransferreddirectlyoutofBeuysstudio,inotherwordsasortofrecordofaworkinprogress.Itfeaturesaroundtwentyclaysculptureslabelledas‘animals’.Theclaylumpsareformless,lookingliketheyhadbeenrandomlysqueezedoutofbigtube.Visitorsjokedthattheylookedlikefaeces.Eachformhadaworktoolinit.Beuys’politicalworkhasahighdegreeofconceptuality,butthisstudioworkhasadegreeofmateriality.Ithasnowords,anddefiesaestheticappreciationandcriticalanalysis.Itinvitesdecoding.Clayisametaphorforrawmaterial–whatanimatestheclay?Whatbringslifetoinanimatematter?Thesimilaritytofaecespointstothetemporalityofourhumanlives.Theworktoolsshowthatitishumanagency,humanworkthattransformsrawmaterialintoart.AMarxistreadingoftheworkmightsayitshowshowhumanlabourtransformsthebasematerialsoftheworld,simultaneouslytransformingthehumanbeing.Butthemainpartofthiswork,asinallhiswork,wastheprocess,thelivetransformation.Theselumpsofclayareonlywhatremainsbehind.UtopiaattheStagMonuments,GalerieThaddaeusRopac,London,17Apr2018-16Jun2018.https://ropac.net/exhibition/utopia-at-the-stag-monuments35AllanAntiliff,JosephBeuys,(London,PhaidonPress2014)7036AllanAntiliff,JosephBeuys,(London,PhaidonPress2014)144


2.8MaterialitycontainsConceptuality-AnselmKieferAnselmKiefer’sworkevolvedfromrepresentationofpoliticalconcepts,todeepmateriality.Theconcepts,thepoliticsremainthesame,buttheydisappearintothematerialityoftheart.Materialityinvitesadifferentrelationshipwiththeaudience–callingforempathyinsteadoflogicalappreciation.KieferwasastudentofBeuys.In1971,BeuysorganisedaprotestagainstplanstodestroyaforestnearDusseldorf,resultinginthephotographicartworkSaveTheWoods,1972.Inthephotograph,standingatthefrontbyBeuysleftshoulder,‘graspinghisbroomwithnearcombativeintent’isabeardedfigure–theemergingartistAnselmKiefer.BothmenhavebeencriticisedasfascistorneoNazisympathisersbecausetheyexamined,throughtheirart,thefascistpastoftheirnation.BeuyssupportedKiefer,approvingofhisearlywork–performanceandphotographyoftheartistmakingafascistsaluteinhisfather’solduniform,invarioushistoricallocations.Kieferremarked:‘Beuyssaidstraightawayitwasagoodaction,andforhimallactionwasart.’37Intheseearlydays,KieferalsomadeillustrationsofthesymbolismandphilosophythatunderpinnedNaziideology–afiguregivingtheNazisaluteinfrontofaforest,orofclassicalsculpturesillustratingscenesfromGermanicmyth,orWagner.Kieferwasborninthelastyearofthewar,Beuysfoughtinthewar.Kiefer’searlypaintingsarewatercoloursketches,whosematerialityislimitedtothebareminimumtocapture,record,andcommunicateanidea–theideaoftryingtounderstandwhatfascismwasallabout.Materialitywaspresentfromthestart.In1966,hespentthreeweeksmediatinginmonk’scellintheCorbusierdesignedmonasteryLaTourette,and‘discoveredthespiritualityofconcrete’.38Duringthecourseofhislife,materialitywastocometotheforeground.“WhenIuseobjectsandsubstancessuchasstrawandleadIdistilfromtheirspirit…Idisplayandupheaveit,”Kiefersaidina2007interview.39Kiefer’spracticehasbecomeamonumenttoMateriality.Hisstudioisahugewarehousefilledwithallmannerofrawmaterialsandartworksinvariousstagesoffabricationanddestruction,includingdemolitionrubble.Muchoftheactivityinthishugespacemightbeconsideredalchemy–leadismelted,acidispouredoverpaintingsinactionsseeminglydirectedbyintuition.4037ChristainWeikop,“ForestsofMyth”,ForestsofMemory,inAnslemKeifer,(London,RoyalAcademyofArts,2014)3338KathleenSoriano,Building,Dwelling,Thinking,inAnselmKiefer,RoyalAcademyofArts,London,2014,pg2139KathleenSoriano,Building,Dwelling,Thinking,inAnselmKiefer,RoyalAcademyofArts,London,2014,pg2140RichardDavey,Inthebeginningisend,andintheendthebeginning,inAnselmKiefer,RoyalAcademyofArts,London,2014,pg21


ButconceptualityisalwayspresentinKiefer’swork,givingittheadditionalpowerofmyth,symbolandspiritualism.Insomecases,textappearswithinthework.Kieferquestionsidealistmythsatthesametimeasheusestheminhiswork.41AcompellingembodimentoftherelationshipbetweenmaterialityandconceptualityisKiefer’sLaberceuse(2010),whichillustratesthefrontpieceofthisessay.

3.MaterialismtoMateriality:PhilosophicalelementsofArtandSociety

3.1MaterialityandConceptualityInthissectionIexamineideasemergingfromSection2-ideasthatarefundamentaltohumanconsciousness,toourexperienceof‘beingintheworld’–whatHegelcalled‘Dasein’.42ThesefundamentalsofphilosophyunderpinpoliticalideassuchasMaterialism,andaestheticideassuchasMateriality.IusethetermsMaterialityandConceptualitytodescribewhatIseeasthemajorprocessesformingartpractice,andalsoshapingsociety.MaterialityhasbeenanotioninthehumanitiessincePierreBourdieu’sOutlineofaTheoryofPractice(1977)challengedstructuralisminsocialsciences.43Inanthropology44andsociology45itistheideathatthematerial,physicalenvironmentdeterminespersonalchoicesandsocialstructures,evenwhenweareunawareofthisduetoour‘subject’focussedperspective.Inart,MaterialityseestheMaterial(medium)asdefiningthepossibilitiesavailabletotheartist.Forexample,theartistmightinvestigateMaterialityinpaintingbyreducingConceptualitytoaminimumsothematerialflowisunobstructedbytheartist’sintervention,asinGerhardtRichter’sFlowPaintings(2013-14).46IcoinedthetermConceptualitytorefertotheConceptualqualitiesofthesesamesocialprocesses,asopposedtoMateriality.IneededtointroduceConceptualitybecausetheusualoppositionaltermtoMaterialityisIdeality–butIdealityisan

41ChristainWeikop,ForestsofMyth,forestsofmemory,inAnslemKeifer,RoyalAcademyofArts,London,2014,pg4042AlexandraKojeve,IntroductiontotheReadingofHegel,(NewYork,CornellUniversityPress,1980)103.‘TheWorldofPhenomenaiswhatHegelcallsDasein,empiricalexistence.’Literaltranslation:‘beingthere’.43DanielMiller,“Materiality:AnIntroduction”,Materiality,(London,DukeUniversityPress2005)44DanielMiller,“Materiality:AnIntroduction”,Materiality,(London,DukeUniversityPress2005)45DanielNehring,Sociology,(NewYork,Routledge,2013)46https://news.artnet.com/market/gerhard-richter-triumphs-at-marian-goodman-london-126647


impreciseterm-Ideasometimesmeansimage-thought,orsometimesIdeameansword-thought(Concept),ormostoften,IdeameansanykindofThought.Idistinguishbetweenword-based,logicalThought(Concept),andnon-word-based,non-logicalThought.Onehand,wehavelogical(rational)frameworksbuiltofwords,andontheotherhand–everythingelse.Thateverythingelsemightincludeintuition,empathyorspirit,andalsoobservedphenomenaoftheMaterialworld.ThisdichotomyisdescribedbyDescartes’dualismofmindandmatter.‘Idealists’suchasDescartesbelievedtheonlythingweknowexistsforsureisThoughtitself-therestoftheperceivedworld(phenomena)mightbeadream.47(TheMaterialistperspectiverefutesthisIdealist,dualistperspective).However,wemustbemoreprecisethanthis:itisnotjustanykindofThoughtthatallowsDescartestoruminateonthemeaningoflife.Itisword-based,abstractThought(Concept)thatallowedDescartestobuildhisphilosophy.Descartesdidn’tusethewordConcept,butitappearstoapproximatehisnotionof‘primaryideas’.48‘Conceptsarementalrepresentations,abstractobjectsorabilitiesthatmakeupthefundamentalbuildingblocksofthoughtsandbeliefs.Theyplayanimportantroleinallaspectsofcognition.’49Forthepurposesofthisessay,wemightsayconsciousnessincludesthoughtsoftwokinds:Concepts-abstract,word-basedthoughtsthatcanbeusedinlogicaldialogueandconceptualframeworks;andIdeas(allthenon-wordThoughtssuchimages,feelingsandintuition).

3.2MaterialismMaterialismisaphilosophicalviewofbeing(ontology)thatsaysMatteristhefundamentalsubstanceofthecosmos,andeverything,includingconsciousnessandspirituality,is(aproductofthis)Matter.TheadvanceofsciencehasmodifiednotionsofwhatMatterreallyis.AlbertEinsteinshowedmatterandenergyareinter-convertiblewithhisfamousformulae=mc2.Matter,inallitsvariousforms,isenergy.

47Thedreamargumentisthepostulationthattheactofdreamingprovidespreliminaryevidencethatthesenseswetrusttodistinguishrealityfromillusionshouldnotbefullytrusted.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_argument48Descartesdividedideasintovariouscategories:‘Someofmythoughtsareasitweretheimagesofthings,anditisonlyinthesecasesthattheterm“idea”isstrictlyappropriate.’(eds.C.Adam&P.Tannery,OeuvresdeDescartes,(Paris:1897–1910and1964–1978;Paris:LibrairiePhilosophiqueJ.Vrin,1996)VII36–7;CSMII25–6),quotedinhttps://plato.stanford.edu/entries/descartes-ideas/#Primeideas49ThisdefinitionistakenfromWikipedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptthatsummarisesthedetaileddiscussionin:Margolis,EricandLaurence,Stephen,"Concepts",TheStanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy(Spring2014Edition),EdwardN.Zalta(ed.),URL=.


ThisisinoppositiontotheIdealistpositionthatsaysaperson’sIdeasorConceptsaretheonlyphenomenonthatpersoncanbecertainof–theperceptionofaMaterialworldmaybeadream.WhenrationalismbroughtEnlightenmenttotheWest,DescartesandKantdescribedtheperspectiveofIdealism,whichseesthematerialworldasaphenomenonofconsciousness.ButSpinozarejectedthis‘idealist’position,insteaddescribingthecosmosasconsistedofonly‘onesinglesubstancewhichpossessesboththeattributeofthoughtandtheattributeofextension.Themindandbody…donotbelongindifferentworlds…theyareinseparable.’50ThereareavarietyofoutcomestoMaterialismasaperspective.Inpopularuse,‘materialist’referstoapersonwhovaluesmaterialpossessionshighly,egcomparedtoenvironmentalismorspirituality.MaterialismisalsothebasisforEmpiricism,theepistemologybehindscience,whichrequiresthatallknowledgemustbeprovedbyrepeatableobservationofthematerialworld,thatcanbevalidatedbyothers.KarlMarx’sthedialecticalmethoddevelopedbyHegeltoanalysehistoryfromaMaterialistperspective.Hearguedthatmaterialconditionsdeterminehumanaction,humanlabourmodifiestheworld,accumulationofpropertydefinessocialrelations,leadstotheinequalitiesofcapitalism,andtoinevitablerevolution,whenthehistoryofcompetitivestrugglewouldendandautopiansocialismwoulddawn.TheMaterialistperspectiveallowedMarxtorejecttheIdealistnotionofanaturalorderoftranscendentspirit,God,monarchy,aristocracyandtheclasssystem.ButMaterialismdoesnotnecessarilyleadtosocialistutopia.Historyshowedadifferentoutcome,whentheMarxistgovernmentoftheSovietUnioncollapsedandmanypeopleacceptedbenevolentfreemarketcapitalism(knownasneo-liberalism)astheonlyworkableeconomicsystem.51NorisMaterialismtheonlyroadtosocialism:MarxdevelopedhisMaterialistideasatthesametimeasotherswhoproposedsocialismfromadifferentperspective.Forexample,theutopiansocialistcommunitiesproposedbyStSimonewerebasedonidealistprinciples.DespitethecollapseofMarxism,Materialismremainsthebasisforsocialistthinking,thoughitsvisionisnowblurred.BritishphilosopherMarkFisher50Kenny,Anthony,ANewHistoryofWesternPhilosophy(ClarendonPress,Oxford2010)551.BaruchSpinoza'srationalistmetaphysics,describedinhisEthics(1677),areanimportantstrandofEnlightenmentthought.SpinozarespondedtoCartesiandualismwithanontological“monism”accordingtowhichthereisonlyonesubstance,Godornature,withtwomodescorrespondingtomindandbody.Spinozadeniedtheexistenceofatranscendentsupremebeing.HeidentifiedGodwithnature,givingimpetustostrandsofatheismorpantheisminEnlightenmentphilosophy.51MarkFisher,CapitalistRealism,(Winchester,UK,OBooks,2014)


inventedtheterm‘CapitalistRealism’torefertoapositionthatseesnoviablealternativetocapitalism.It’sadepressingplacewithoutapositivevisionofafuture–allthemoredepressingbecausethesolution(toendgrowthinmaterialdemand)issoapparentlyobviousandeasytoachieve.Fisherdescribes‘reality’asaconceptualmirageobscuringtheReal(Material)truth:“TheRealiswhatany‘reality’mustsuppress…theRealisanunrepresentableX,thatcanbeglimpsedinthefracturesandvoidsofapparentreality.”Therealincludesglobalpovertyandenvironmentalcollapse.52

3.3MaterialityandMaterialism:apostmodern,postpoliticalperspectiveAlecturebyMarkWrightatBrightonUniversityin2017introducedmetothetermMateriality.ItofferedaperspectivethatseemedtocombineaspectsofMaterialismwithtranscendentqualitiesofidealism.MarkpraisedtheMaterialpropertiesofpaint.HealsoreferredtotheMaterialityofimagesdisplayedoncomputerscreens.Previously,computer-basedimageshavebeenthoughtofasconcept-like,non-materialvirtualentities.53MarksuggestedthattheMaterialityofthecomputerscreens,suchasreflectedlight,thesizeandportabilityofthedevice,wasinseparablefromtheprojectedimage.Intriguingly,MarksuggestedthatMaterialityinpaintingwasconnectedtotheartistinawaythatmightbeinterpretedthroughphenomenologyofFrenchphilosopherMerleau-Ponty,whosoughttoexplainourperceptionoftheworld-byvisualisingconsciousnessassituatedinthebody,connectedtotheworld.Merleau-PontyisanexistentialistwhotakesaMaterialistperspective:hesays“manmakestheworldtobeforhimself,but…theworldisasolidtissue,alreadytherebeforeImakeanyobservationsaboutitoranalyzeit.Butitisonlyman’spresencethatmakestheworldpossibleasworld:itistheexistentialsubject,ortheconsciousbeingwhoalonecanbeawareofandgivemeaningtotheworld.’54InMateriality,insteadoftheartist’slogicalConceptualwill,qualitiesofMaterialsformtheArtprocess.Thismightbearesultofphysicallawsthatcontroltheflowofpaint,butitallowsintuitiontoguidetheinterventionoftheartist.Sometextshintatakindofagency(thepowertoact)intheMaterial.55

52MarkFisher,CapitalistRealism,(Winchester,UK,OBooks,2014)18.53ThematerialityofconsumergoodsandcomputerdatawasquestionedatJean-FrancoisLyotardandThierryChaput’sinfluentialshow‘LesImmateriaux’attheCentrePompiduinParis1985.53PetraLange-Berndt,Materiality,(London/CambridgeUSA,WhitechapelGallery/MITPress,2015)16.54Barral,MaryRose.“Merleau-PontyontheBody”SouthernJournalofPhilosophy.7(2),(1969)171-79.55KarenBarad,“MeetingtheUniverseHalfway”,Materiality,(London/CambridgeUSA,WhitechapelGallery/MITPress,2015)213.


3.4MaterialityandMarxismMaterialitydefinesMarxist‘materialism’.AnthropologistDanielMillersays:‘Thefirstmajorseculartheoryofhumanitythatseemedcapableofdominatingtheworld,Marxism,resteduponaphilosophyofpraxis,whosefoundationalsoliesinitsstancetomateriality.Humanityisviewedastheproductofitscapacitytotransformthematerialworldinproduction,inthemirrorofwhichwecreateourselves.Capitalismiscondemnedaboveallforinterruptingthisvirtuouscyclebywhichwecreatetheobjectsthatinturncreateourunderstandingofwhowecanbe.Instead,commoditiesarefetishisedandcometooppressthosewhomadethem’.56MaterialityasdescribedbyDanielMillerhasnototalisingconclusions;itisnotMarxism.Itisaperspectivethatmustbeseparatelyappliedtoeachindividualsituation.Similarly,inartpractice,theperspectiveofMaterialitysharesthesamerootsasMaterialism,andtheghostofMarxismispresent.PetraBernt-Lang,inherbookMateriality,devotesachapterto‘TheLivingFireofHumanLabour’,andidentifiesMarxismintheartpracticeofCarlAndre,whoseworkismoreoftenreferredtothroughFormalistanalysisas‘Minimalist’.57MarxismismerelyanaspectofBernt-Lang’sMateriality,whichalsodevoteschapterstoMaterials,Bodies,Nature,Media,and‘RematerialisationoftheVoid’.Therearenototalisingsolutions.However,asMarxdid,MaterialitylooksatbeinghumanfromoutsidetheframeworkoflogicalConceptuality.

3.5PureConceptisimpossible-ArtneedsaMaterialaspectDespiteDuchamp’srevolutionaryideathatartisaConceptsharedbetweenartistandaudience,ArtcannotbepureConcept.ArtcannotexistwithoutsomeaspectoftheMaterial–atleastnotifyouviewtheworldfromaMaterialistperspective,asIexplainbelow.Artisalwaysanartefactofhumanaction,aresultofconsciousnessactingintheMaterialworld.Itcannotbeconcept,idea,orpureconsciousnessitself.Ideasneedtobecommunicatedinaphysical,materialmedium.Forexample,animprovisedsongneedsatleastahumanvoice,whichneedsabody.Andthesounditselfisvibrationinair,whichis‘acousticmaterial’accordingtoJuliaKristeva.58IntheexampleofWeiner’sconceptualStatementscitedabove,theartworkonlyexistsbyvirtueofthepaperandinkitiscomposedof.Thetruncatedproseand56DanielMiller,“Materiality:AnIntroduction”,Materiality,(London,DukeUniversityPress2005)57PetraLange-Berndt,Materiality,(London/CambridgeUSA,WhitechapelGallery/MITPress,2015)68-69.58PetraLange-Berndt,“Introduction”,Materiality,(London/CambridgeUSA,WhitechapelGallery/MITPress,2015)29.


minimalisttypographyconstituteanovelform,buttheyarematerialformnone-the-less.More:evenifWeiner’sstatementscouldsomehowbeofferedtoanaudienceaspureabstractconcept,theywouldstillrequiremattertoexist:brainstothink,ortoperceiveorcomprehendthem.Thisbegsthequestion:inConceptualart,wheredoestheConceptexist-inthemindoftheartist,orintheartwork?TheidealistsaysConceptsexistindependentlyofMatter.Isthistransferredintoanartwork,andtoanaudience?ThematerialistsaysConceptsonlyexistaspartofMatter-suchasabrain.ArtworkcontainsimpressionsofConcept,imprintedintoMatter,whichcanthenevokesimilarConceptsinanaudience.Similarly,theso-called‘virtual’worldofcomputerdataismentionedabove:digitalimagesrequirecomputersoftwareandhardwaretoexist.Theaudienceexperienceofdigitalimagesisshapedbythematerialityofthedeviceusedtoviewthem–itssize,reflectivityandresolution.Onscreenorasaprojection,thematerialaspectsofvirtualartdefinetheaudienceexperience.Cryptocurrencies–the‘virtual’cashgeneratedbycomputers–exemplifyanapparentlydematerialisedreality.However,theimmensecomputingpowerrequiredtogeneratecrypto-currenciesisoneaspectofthecurrency’sMateriality.AmorefundamentalaspectoftheMaterialityofmoneyisthatitonlyhasvaluebecauseofoursharedbeliefinitspowertocommandMaterialwealth.Withoutsuchbelief,itismerelyasymbolresidinginthematerialityofacomputer.Millerdiscussesthisillusionoftheimmaterialityoffinancialinstruments:“Humanityconstantlyreturnstovastprojectsdevotedtoimmateriality,whetherasreligion,asphilosophy,orforMiyazaki,theoryasthepracticeoffinance.Butalloftheserestuponthesameparadox-thatimmaterialitycanonlybeexpressedthroughmateriality.”Millergoesontodrawaparallelwiththevalueofcontemporaryart.59BesidesneedingaMaterialmediumtoexistin,Artaswehavedefinedit,alsoneedsaspecific,Materialidentity(soitcanbeproposedbytheartist,sharedwithanaudience,andincorporatedintoculturalinstitutions).Takeourexampleofanimprovisedsong,above.Nomatterhowbeautifulitis,itcannotfulfilourdefinitionifitcannotbeidentifiedasapieceofArt–labelled,shown,discussed.Itneedstobeidentifiedthroughwrittennotation,orelectronicrecording,oratleast,throughmemorialisationofthathappeningwhichoccurredinaspecificplacein(material)timeandspace.

5959DanielMiller,“Materiality:AnIntroduction(Immateriality)”,Materiality,(London,DukeUniversityPress2005).http://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology/people/academic-teaching-staff/daniel-miller/mil-8


Idealist,dualistphilosopherssuchasDescartesbelievepureConceptexistsindependentlyofaMaterialworld.ButMaterialistphilosophysayspureConceptscannotexistindependentlyofmatter,theycanonlyoccurinamaterialmatrixsuchasthebrainorthebody–andasmaterialtracesorimprintsinart,booksandcomputers.60Torestate,anddrawoutanapparentcontradiction:ForaMaterialist,ConceptonlyexistsasanaspectofMatter,assoundexistsasanaspectofair.ThisseemstocontradicttheapparentoppositionalrelationshipofMaterialityandConceptualitywheretheprocessesseemtobedifferent,independent(althoughcombinedinartorpraxis).TheoppositionisonlyanillusionofanIdealist,dualistviewpoint.MaterialityandConceptualityareprocessesormentalconstructionsofhumanconsciousness,wheretheyappeartobeinopposition,givingrisetoIdealistdualism.ButfromaMaterialistperspective,MaterialityandConceptualityaredifferentaspectsofthesamething,sinceconsciousnessexistsonlyasanaspectorvibrationofMatter/Energy.

3.6TheineffableotherofMaterialityMaterialitysharesthesameontological(natureofbeing)perspectiveasMaterialism–thatMatterdeterminesthehumanexperience(asopposedtoIdealists’ConceptorIdeadefiningtheperceivedMaterialcosmos).ButMaterialitydoesnotclaimthelogicalcertaintyofMaterialism.Bernt-LangacknowledgesthecommonrootofMaterialityandMaterialism.Shedistinguishesthetwobyallowingthenotionsoftheagencyofmatterandthepost-structuralfuzzinessofDerrida’sdeconstructionoflanguagetoenterherdescriptionofMateriality.61

60Can‘concept’existindependentlyof‘matter’?Here,Iassertartcannotbepurelyconceptual;itneedsamaterialelementtoexist.Wemightask:canpureconceptexistatall,independentofamatter?Thisisarootquestionofphilosophy,concerningthenatureofbeing(ontology):giventhatweareawareofourconsciousness(thesubject),andanoutsidereality(theobject):thenwhatishumanconsciousnessandperceivedreality?Thegivesrisetotwoopposingphilosophiesofbeing.Firstly,theidealistanddualistschoolsofPlatoandDescartesdescribetwodistinctpartsofexistence:idea(consciousness)andperceivedreality(matter).Secondly,thematerialistandmonistschoolsofParmenidesandSpinozasaythecosmosismadeonlyofonesubstance(matter/energyorobjectivereality).Thefirstidea(dualism/idealism)allowsforbeliefinnon-material(non-empirical)ideassuchasGod,immortalhumanspiritandanimism(spiritinnon-humanthings).Thesecondidea(monism/materialism)saysnoimmaterialthingsexistindependentlyofmatter.Sinceconsciousnessisapparent,materialistsenvisagethisasa‘state’ofmatter.Wemightvisualisethisasnodeswithinamatrix,oralteredstatesofmatter/energy.61PetraLange-Berndt,“Introduction”,Materiality,(London/CambridgeUSA,WhitechapelGallery/MITPress,2015).


Here,weencountertheshiftfromthemodernistschoolofMaterialism,tothepostmodernschoolofMateriality.InMaterialism,consciousness(andConceptualityandanynotionsofspirit),aredescribedasaspectsofMatter,whichwilleventuallybecompletelyunderstoodbyempiricalsciencewithinaframeworkofLogic.MaterialitylikewisedescribesconsciousnessasanaspectofMatter–butMaterialitymakesnoclaimtobeingabletodescribeconsciousnessinword-logicalterms.ThisisbecausewordsareonlylabelsforideasandcannotadequatelydescribeinfiniteMatter.Whenweusewords,weconfrontthelimitationsofwordsandconceptstodescribeperceived‘objectivereality’,whichisinfiniteandextendsbeyondourconceptual,empiricalknowledge.Materialityavoidsthelimitationsofword-basedlogicwhentryingtodefinetheother(notI)thatliesbeyondourconsciousness.Wemightbetemptedtouseword-logictodescribethisindefinable(ineffable)other,immanenttocosmicMatter,asgod,orsomeotheragencyofmatter.Butifwedouselogicinthisway,were-introduceatranscendentdimension,andreturntoidealistdualism,whereallwearecertainofisconsciousnessitself.Materialityasksthatwenotlimitourunderstandingofbeingtowhatcanbedescribedbyword-concepts.AnditwarnsusoftheconsequencesofdefiningourselvespurelyasimmaterialbeingswhoconformtoabstractidealssuchascapitalismandMarxism.Materialityisanattempttoavoidword-logic,andanappealtoanotherformofdialogue.TheineffableotherofMaterialityisbestdescribedandunderstoodbyconsciousactionintheMaterialworld(praxis).

3.7Art’spurposeandvaluetosocietyArtandsocietyhaveacircularrelationship.Artisaproductofhumanity,andartinfluenceshowhumanityseesitself,andsohowitbehaves.Artisintegralto,interwovenwithhumanity.Butartisnoteverythingwedo-it’sthoseaspectsofourculturewechoosetovalueandvenerate.Art’svalueisbothtothehumanindividual,andtosociety.Thesetwoaspectsmaybecalledtheintimateandpublicaspectsofart.

• Totheindividual,artisameditationthatcontributestounderstandingofonesself,andfullydevelopingourhumanconsciousness.

• Intheouterworldofsociety,theworldandtheuniverse:itisareflectionofoursharedvaluesofhumanityandactionintheworld.Itisourmirror.


Theimplicationsforsocietyaresignificant.IfMarkFisherisright,oursocietyisgoingmadbecauseofthecontradictionsof‘capitalistrealism’.62Weneedreasonstolive-otherthanceaselesscapitalgrowth.Automationandartificialintelligencethreatenstomakehumansredundant.Thepossibilityofanalternativesocialframeworkthatseescreativeandspiritualpracticeasvalidoccupationsistempting.

4.ConclusionThisessaysuggestsartpracticeisaphilosophicalreflectiononthenatureofbeing.Processesofartpractice-MaterialityandConceptuality–arearefectionofhumanconsciousness.Artis‘silent’intheworldofwordsandlogic,butisimportantintherealmofthenon-logical–therealmofintuitionandtheinfinite.Artalsoholdsoutahopeforthefutureofmankind-postmodern,post-growth.Nowwehaveconquerednature,weneedanalternativevaluesystemandpraxisbasedontheRealratherthanrealism-theconceptualmirageof(capitalist)logic.Inpracticalterms:artpracticeprovidesaphilosophyoflifethatcanreplacethephilosophyofdomination,competitionandaccumulationofwealth.Artandspiritualitycouldbepracticesthatinspireandenvisionafutureutopia.

7.Bibliography,Appendixes

7.1BibliographyAndes,Dawn.“DadaandSurrealism”,ConceptsofModernArt.London:ThamesandHudson.1994.Antiliff,AllanJosephBeuys,PhaidonPressLondon,2014,p126Barral,MaryRose.“Merleau-PontyontheBody”,SouthernJournalofPhilosophy.7(2),1969.Cros,Caroline.MarcelDuchamp.London:ReaktionBooks.2006.Davey,Richard.“Inthebeginningisend,andintheendthebeginning”,inAnslemKeifer.London:RoyalAcademyofArts.2014.Fisher,Mark.CapitalistRealism.Winchester,UK:OBooks,2014.Kenny,Anthony.ANewHistoryofWesternPhilosophy.Oxford:ClarendonPress,2010.Kojeve,Alexandre.IntroductiontotheReadingofHegel.NewYork:CornellUniversityPress,1980.Lange-Berndt,Petra.Materiality.London/CambridgeUSA:WhitechapelGallery/MITPress.2015.Littkemann,Jochen.PressReleaseforBeuysretrospective:UtopiaattheStagMonuments,GalerieThaddaeusRopac,London,17Apr2018-16Jun2018.https://ropac.net/exhibition/utopia-at-the-stag-monumentsMargolis,EricandLaurence,Stephen,"Concepts",TheStanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy(Spring2014Edition),EdwardN.Zalta(ed.),URL=.

62MarkFisher,CapitalistRealism,(Winchester,UK,OBooks,2014)31-38


Mesch,Claudia.ArtandPolitics.NewYork:IBTauris,2013.Miller,Daniel(ed)“Materiality:AnIntroduction”,Materiality.London,DukeUniversityPress2005Nehring,Daniel.Sociology.NewYork:Routledge,2013.Rider,Alistair.CarlAndre,Sculptures,Politics,1959-1976.PhDLeedsUniversity.2005.http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/1643/1/uk_bl_ethos_421980.pdfSoriano,Kathleen.“Building,Dwelling,Thinking”,inAnslemKeifer.London:RoyalAcademyofArts.2014.Weikop,Christain.“ForestsofMyth,ForestsofMemory”,inAnslemKeifer.London:RoyalAcademyofArts.2014.

7.2Appendixes

7.2.1KeytermsasusedinthisessayIdeaisaphenomenon(epiphenomenon)ofconsciousness(aThought),takingtheformofmentalimages.Insometexts‘ideas’aresynonymouswith‘concepts’,butinthisessaytheyaredistinguished,sinceweneedtospecificallyrefertothelogicofword-concepts,asopposedtoimage-ideas.IdealityisaprocessdefinedbyIdeas.IdealityisthetermusuallyusedinoppositiontoMateriality63(idealismvs.materialismistheclassicoppositioninphilosophy).But,asdiscussedabove,Ideasareanimprecisenotion-ifwewishtorefertoaprocessofword-logic,thetermConceptualityismoreprecise.Theimplicationsofthisrefinementareinteresting,-ifweexcludeideasandintuitionfromword-logic(Conceptuality),wheredotheyexist?see7.2.2Intuitionisaprocessofconsciousnessthatusesnon-wordbasedideassuchasfeelingsandempathytoformapictureoftheworld.Conceptisaphenomenonofconsciousness(athought)takingtheformofwords.Aconceptmightbethoughtofasafeeling,ideaorthought,whichhasbeenlabelledwithaword.Conceptsaretheelementsoflogicandalltheconceptualstructuresoflogicalphilosophy–metaphysics,rationalismandempiricism.ConceptualitymaybeatermI’vecoined.Itisaprocessdefinedbyword-concepts(logic),asdistinctfromIdealityandMateriality.ThismaybetheequivalentofLacan’s“Symbolic”.64Logicisadialoguebasedonwordstoformarationalpictureoftheworld.Itisopposedtointuition.

63KarlSimms,TheMaterialityandIdealityofText:SaidandRicoeur(TaylorFrancis)64TheSymbolic(orSymbolicOrder)isapartofthepsychoanalytictheoryofJacquesLacan,partofhisattempt"todistinguishbetweenthoseelementaryregisters...thesymbolic,theimaginary,andthereal—adistinctionneverpreviouslymadeinpsychoanalysis"."Manspeaks,then,butitisbecausethesymbolhasmadehimman...superimposesthekingdomofcultureonthatofanature"…"languageisthebasicsocialinstitutioninthesensethatallotherspresupposelanguage."https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Symbolic


Matteristhe‘objectivereality’ofbeing.Idealist/dualistphilosophersproposethathumanconsciousness(identifiedbyideas)isseparatefrommatter.Materialistphilosophersproposethatideascanonlyexistwithinamaterialmatrix,whichcomesbeforeideas.Materialityistheaspectofaprocessdefinedbymaterials.

7.2.2AnoteonConceptualityandMaterialityasaspectsofconsciousnessThereareinterestingconsequencestotherefinementthatdifferentiatesIdeasfromConcepts.Sinceweareconcernedwiththeworldofword-logic,anditsopposition,wemightopposeConceptualitytoMateriality.Thisleavesagreyareafornon-conceptual(non-word)Ideas–thought-images,feelings,andintuition.Thesenon-conceptualthoughtsmightthenbecategorisedaspartofrealmofMateriality.TheoppositionisnolongerbetweenMatterandMind,butbetweenLogicandNon-Logic.Non-Logic(herecalledMateriality)iswherewecanputallthemysterious,thingsthatcannotbedescribedbyLogic(Conceptuality).ThosewhoargueLogic(andScience)iscapableofknowingeverything,mightaskthemselveswheretheunknownexistsatthepresentmoment(wherewasthenuclearbombbeforeEinstein)?Thatunknownexistsisundeniable.ThisinitselfisproofofthelimitsofLogic.IfwecannotknoweverythingthroughLogic,canweknowitthroughanothermechanism–intuition,belieforexpandedconsciousness?Thisdoesnotnecessarilyleadtodualismandtheideaofatranscendentdimension,sincematerialistsconceiveofconsciousnessasa‘state’ofmatter/energy.Butitdoesforceustoacknowledgethelimitsofword-logicandempiricalscience,andtoexaminewhatliesbeyond,sincetherewillalwaysbeabeyond.Then,fromtheperspectiveoftheconsciousself(anidealistperspective),therealoppositionisinthepartsofhumanconsciousness.Theoppositionisbetweenword-logic(Conceptuality)andthenon-logicalpartofconsciousness-Ideality–thatcontainsintuition,empathy-andthephenomenonoftheperceivedmaterialworld,Materiality.FromaperspectiveofMateriality,Matter(matter/energythestuffofthecosmos)isallthatexists.ConsciousnessexistsasanaspectofMatter/Energy-avibrationinthematrixofMatter.Thoughts,includingtheoppositionofConceptualityandIdeality(includingideasofMateriality)existasmoresubtlevibrationswithinconsciousness.WhyistheproperunderstandingoftherelationshipbetweenConceptualityandMaterialityimportant?BecauseifwecanproperlyseeConceptandlogicaspartsofabiggerpicture–aslimitedprocessescontainedwithinaninfinitecosmosofmatter/energy–wemightrealiseourthatfocusontheconceptualgoalsofempiricismandrationalism(includingcapitalism)arelimitedandimmaterial.Thenwemightspendtimeinnon-logical,reflectiveprocessessuchasartpracticeandmeditation.Inthiswaymayslowthejuggernautofrationalisationthatcallsformaximisedgrowthandmaterialexploitation,threateninghumanexistenceandenvironmentaldisaster.

materiality, materialism and conceptuality in art and society...materiality, materialism &...

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