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").A380 : Representative works "Expressionist"
Outpouring of the turbulent or even violent inner world of an artist who, unlike with "Abstract Expressionism", does it with the many possible ways of depicting the Figure (from the original Expressionism to COBRA, from "Violent painting" to the "Néo-fauves", ...). Graffiti, logos
Expression via writing design: tags or graffiti when they become images (A.R.Penck, ...); logos (Gerôme Mesnager, Speedy Graphito, ...); hip-hop culture (Various collectives such as; Blade, Crash, ...). 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").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, ...).
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, ...).
GALOPIN Cédric
www.cedricgalopin.com |
