r 7 8 S J ' I !

I ] N O ] C N V E I C V N C N V f
' z
t - t r
' ( r 6 6 r ' s s a r 6
l y y r ;
: s s e 1 4 1 ' : 3 p r : q u r 3 ) p x r o t r 1 s r o 5 u e r g - u e a f d q p : o m r r o 3 p u x o r t r r a n D a l a r r q e i ; d q u o r r : n p o r l u l u t
q t l r p u e p a r r p a ' 0 6 6 r g 9 6 r ' s l u y 1 t 1 4 p a p ; 1 1 o 3 : n l V p u o t r 4 d o s o 1 u 1 r 1 n l y l - r p ' q r n s o ; q c { : s o f r r r p a r u r r d : r : l , i i I
: ( 6 9 6 r r a q o t r o ) t r 6 o u ' 8 L r p L r o u o u n t u I o r p r i 5
, , . { q d o s o l l l d
r : r J V l . r V , , I u o : 3 s r d : : : r : ' q r n s o ; q d a s o f . "
' l J t
d n J e A o J o l u E p J S n ( ' : 1 e ' a ; n 1 : a l r r l J J e
J o
S u q r r r a p ' s l t : : o l s u t
J o
e J n l l e t l
- r o d ' s a r l r e r l l s n o r S r T e r
J o
u o r t r i d e p ) u E
J o , . s u o r t J u n J , ,
l e q t o l u r r t d d e a q t a s n e l e q o s l t n q
' r o r r r s n l t
J o
L t l n u r l u o J e r l l p e t t n t r d r o d l r t
J o
s r r l s r r e t ) t i e q r
I r r S o l o r l d r o u
o q t o s n r l e q
L i u o 1 o u ' s a u r r l l u e r e l e J o J e q s u o r l t r J p r s u o J J r l s r l J t q l r . t t p e l r r g u o f d l t r r r s r r p J e l e u e p l
s r q J
' J n r t
t o u s r q r l r { . { \ ' s ] r l a q l s e p u E u E u 3 e . & \ l 3 q u o D f J u u o J
I r n l d J J u o J
e s e l r \ e J s r { l l E r l l
u o r t o u 3 q t . { \ r r 3
, , t l q q , ,
s q r
J o
t n o
' [ e . { \
s ] r s s n f s r p o l p u n o q . { ] n p d l q t l r . L e u r s l 3 . t \
r s l s l
' s n q l p u r
, , , f u n r a q , ,
q t l . ^ r l E r p q r r q . l ! \ L q d o s o l l q d
_ I o
q r u s r q d u t o 5
' u o l r e r o r e p
s r n l s ^ s l l
s e , t \ u o r l J u n J s , u l l
J o
s S u o . r d o . { \ t 3 r { t
J o
o u o t s ? d e q t u I
' p r r u a S
u r
P I r o . & \
a q t
. } o
u o l l d J r r e d
u o s u o r u r d o q l l - { \ s l E J p s f r t s l l t s o r e s n E r e q l r e u r o { s f r t s q t s s r J t E r r d a s o l . ( J E s s e l e u s r 1 l
' s u o r t d u r n s a r d
I e t r r q d o s o l r q d
u r o {
. . J o o F , ,
u r t l u e r o t t r l l s r l q ? u r
r l J I r I . t \ . { 3 o l o ] n r l s r J f u J l s r x 3 s . l - r E s r t r t r q t p u ? ' u o r l t s o d o : d J T I { F L I E u t o l s n o S o F u t s I l r t
I r r l l l r r s s r p u r ' ( t r e s c s J r t e q t s r
J o
e r p r r r i t
J o
t r r a u o d o r d S u r p e r l E s I t r o s n t l r q ) u t t s r l r : u r
- r o J L E r u q r e p r s u o r 1 1 J 1 ] p u r s J r t e q t s r r u r e . & \ t o q u o r t r . r t d a s e q l s s n r s l p
i l L { \ I
( 6 9 6 r ) d q d o s o p l d r e U V u V
l r : l p u o ' . r n t 7 t u a p o o m ' q d o l 8 o 1 o 4 d ' 5 9 6 r ' s : r e q 1
a r r r l J p u e a u g ' t l l n s o ; 4
4 d a s o [
When objects are presented within the conterf of art (;rnd until r'cccntly objects alr,r':rys
have been used) they are as eligible for aesthetic consicleration as are any objects in the rvorld,
:rnd an aesthetic consideration of an object existing in tire reah'n of art neans that thc ob-
j('(t'\ c\i:tclrcc or futtcriorrirrg in rn .u-t ('ontext ii irrelcvrnt to the .restheti, judq.'rr, rrr.
The relation of aesthetics to art is not unlike that of aesthetics to architecture. in that
architecture has a very specttic
_function
ancl how 'good" its design is is prirnarily related to
hor,v well it performs its function. Thus, judgements on r,vhat it looks like correspoud to
taste, and wc c:ln see that throughor-rt history different exarnples of architecture rre pr..rised
rt dillerent times depending on the aesthetics of particular epochs. Aesthetic thinking h:rs
cven gone so far as to nrake exalnples of architecture not related to "art" at all, rvorks of:rrt
irt thcrttsclve' (c.g. tlrc pl rrrrrid. oI Egyptl.
Aesthetic considerations are indeed dlways exftaneous to an object's function or "reason
to [.." Unlcrs oF coursc. Llre objcct'r
"rcJson
to bc" i. :rricrl; .re\tl)ctic. An t'rarrrplc oi.r
purely aesthetic object is a decorative object, for decoration's prirn:rry function is "to aclcl
sorrething to so as to nrake nrore attractive; adorn; om:rment," ancl this relates directly to
taste. And this leads us directly to "Formalist" art and criticisnr. Fornralist art (painting rncl
sculpture) is the vanguard of decoration, and, strictly speaking, one cor-lld reasonabll, :rsst-r't
that its rrt condition is so rninimal that for all functional plrrposes it is not .rrt rt -r11, bur
pure exercises in aesthetics. Above all things Clernent Greenberg is the critic of taste. Be-
hind ever1, one of his decisions there is an aesthetic judgernent, rvith those judgcuLents re-
flecting his t:rste. And r'vhat does his taste reflect? The per iod hc grel- up iri as a critic, the
period "real" for hirn: the flfties. Giverr his theories (if they have any logic to them rt all)
horv else can one account for his disinterest in Frank Stella, Aci Reinhar:dt, and others ap-
plicable to his historical schenre? Is it because he is "... basically unsyrrpathetic on per-
sonally experiential gror-rnds"? Or, in other words, their rvork doesn't sr-rit his taste?
But in the philosophic tabula rasd of art, "if someone calls it art," as Don
Judd
has said,
"it's art." Given this, formalist painting and sculpture activitv can be granted an "art con-
dition," but only bv virtr:e of its presentation in ternrs of its ert idcr (c.g. a rectangr-rlarly-
shaped canvas stretched over rvooden supports and stained with such and such colors, tLs-
ing such and such fornrs, givrnq such rnd such l visr-ral experience, etc.). Lookine at
contemporary art in this light, one reaiizes the minimal creative ellort taken on the part of
formalist artists specifrcall,v, and all painters :rnc1 sculptors (rvorking :rs such toclay) generrll1'.
This brings us to the realization that formalist art and criticism accept f,s a definition of
art one rvhich exists solely on morphological grounds. While a vast quantity of similarlv
looking objects or irnases (or visually related objects or irnages) nlay seenr to be related (or
connected) bec:ruse of a sirnilarity of visual/experiential "readines, " one cannot claim fronr
this ar-r artistic or conceptual relationship.
It is obvious then that fornralist criticisrn's reliance on nrorphology leads necessarily r,vith
a bias torvard tl-re rnorphology of traditional art. And in this sense such criticisru is not rc
lated to a "scientific nethod" or a1ly sort of en'rpiricism (as Michael Friecl, rvith his detriled
clescriptions of paintings ancl other 'icholarlv" pirraphernalia lvould rvant us to believe).
Formalist criticism is no more than an analysis of the physical attributes of particular ob-
jects r,vhich happen to exist in a morphological context. tsut this doesn't add any kriou,l-
642 I ANCUACE AND CONCEPTS
n s S L d : l l N O l
( ] N V
l f v n 9 N V - I
. . - - - ^ . -
^ , - - ^ J
. ! r L l l r ! 1 u r u s d l l J r + J 5
P s l t l e l
d l , r e s s o r a u l o u . r e q l e S o ]
8 u r : : p - t o l l t
J o
u o l l o u p J , \ r a l u o J
- e - r d e g o J S p t J r l t s r t u a u r n S - r r : u e q f n s
' t u r l e l J ] r r
J u r o J a q s L t o u u a J u l
l s l s l t r f
J t l l p u t s r r : ' { .
- r r t E l u r 1 , t u , p s l a f q o s r p e 8 p n f e : e ( s r q l u t p a q d r u r s r t r c
I 1 1 l
l n q
' 3 s - r n o r
1 o
' s o p e t u l ' p t r l a r l l s e
q : n s ) t - r r ; o s l t c f g o l e q t d r u e q r n g o t r t u e , r e ; s , r u r . { 1 l t 1 n t r 1 , r r d - e p r r l l u s u o s r r s l l l i l I J
' s u o r l r s o d o r d
. u e u
. . i u r t c l r J , ,
o t p J l t r l : t . ( l t e e t o a p J J P u I s I l l r
J o g n t s
, ( - r e , r a q l 1 n 6 1
' s u o t l r s o d o - r d
t r r S u r r u r r 3 g o , f t . u e u o L l u o s r r - r r q t t t q t u o r t d u r n s s r e q l
r r o p r s i r q s r . ( t r , t q r r s r q t e f , u l s ' u r
I t u o l t l p r l ; o , , o 8 t n 3 u r : 1 , ,
u ^ \ o p - P r p u c q J q l q l r ^ \
i l e s r u o
l r , r J J L r o f t o u u r r r u o s r L l t o p o t p u v
' J J n J t u
s . l . I E o t s e s u o r l r s o d o . r d . u e u S u r l u : s e , r d d q l r r
J o
J l r l l l t u e q t u o r l s e n b s t s l t l v
' p J g p t s
d a q t e - r o g a q o - I e q l l , u s t l \ l t q . r r l o
. , 1 1 r J o
u o r l d , . . r t t o r
e q l o l p e p p D { e q t t e q , u , , 8 u r I r s ; o
d c . t r ; e q l o u t s I r l t r r l l . \ \ : l , r
J o
e ' r n l t u e q l p : r r o l l s : n b - { e q l
r l f , n r u , t t o r l o t S u t p ; o : r r : p o q S r e , u a q u t r d u r e q t n 1 l . r a u r s l s l l r t r r r l n l l l . I r : d ; o
, , e n 1 : , t , ,
a q a
d p n l d a : u o : s l s r x e , { . [ u o ] r r r s n e J r q ( a - r n l t u u r )
l e n r d a r u o r
s r ( d r u e q : n 6 1 t . r r 3 r )
t r p
[ V
' t r
, , F n ] d a l r o r , ,
g o S r r r u u r 8 r q o L I t p u e t i e
, , u r r p o u l , , J | o
S u r u r r r 8 e q o q t s t a - , . u o l l
- d : : u o r , ,
o t
, , : r u u r e d d e '
r u o ' r 3 3 g 6 - 3 f i 6 p q 3 s n l J
' u o r t r u n J
- } o
u o l t s r n b r o l I 8 o l o q d r o u r
j o u o r t s e n b t t u o ] J u E
J o
J r n l t u a q t p e F u P q r l r t e q l s u P J t u q l l L I , / K
' P r t s
. e u I J q s P A \ l l l l l , \ \ o l
e S e n 8 u r : 1 l l t
J o
L u r o ; r q t r u o g s n l o _ + s t r p : S r r u q t t l e ' e p e r u ^ p t a r p r l s r s s t u n J q l L l l r l f r
' e p B L U
- - , ( p e a . r p : l s r s s t u n t s r u s . d u r t q x 6
l o t r . r W
s l l , ! \ u E I I I r s u r s o > l t u
l l l l s
p u t
, , e S t n F u E I
r r l l l o u r
1 e e d q ,
o r J l q r s s o d s r l \ t r t n i l u o r l l r z r l c J J a r l l e l q l r l r J f r r o J e p e l u t t r l t t u : A o a q a s S u r q r A \ J U { q u t
- f u s s r . t r . t r 1 n q ' o u r t s r q t p r u l e l l l r . r
, , e 8 e n 8 u t 1 , ,
s , u t l e t l l r q p l n o . { \ l r S r n l l n d
3 o ' { . r : , u
- r - - q r o
- u y
' , o l o q d J o r l I
r l a r l l
J o
e n t l r ^ d q p a l l e r r u o r p J r u J s s e J o J J q
l l o . \ \
e L I l p t l l l l - r t
, , u r e P o w , ,
( ' s , d r u r q r n 6 1 q t t . t l u o s t r t d r u o : . { q s n o n 8 r q r u e p u r p l r u r t e r t s 1 r o . \ \ - r r e q l l n q ' u l s r q n C o l
q 8 n o r q r o u u r z e 3 p L r E t o u r l n J r { t r ^ \ S r i r u u r S o q l r E
J o
u o r t r 3 r u r t u e p l - J i J s s l q t p r l r . \ \ o t r { . t u e p u e l t
a e s L l u r r t - r o r u e J J U O ) , f t q u e p r u . \ \ o s l l l r r 8 u t . , r t 8 q t l t \ l I p J J l
L l l l l J , \ 4 . u l o r l l \ d u n : q . r n 1 1
1 : :
- r e l N s r t r t t r e 3 u I
' d u r t q l n 6 l
l r r r t w
, ( q p e s r t r t s r l l s , t \ ' u o l l s o n b t s r ' l - I E
J o
u o l l l u n ; o t l l
' l J P
J o
u o I l f L I n J J L I ] S u i p l l t l s - r J } r u l 1 t l l l t l J f u o - l
l u l r g o d u r r
L : e , r r s r I , I u
J o
J - I n t e u e q l
J o
S u l u o l l s e n b s r q l p u Y
' l J t
J o
e , I n l t u . r q l r r o t l s : u b o l
J l q r s s o d r u r
' . r , t o r , t d
a ' P J J p u r ' l l s e l t r u ( r e l t 1 s s n : r s r p
[ L \ \ I
q ] I q . & \
, . > l r o - t t , ,
' r o
s u o r l l s o d o - r d l l r
p r r r E 5 { 1 1 e r r l d l e u r u r o - g e 1 e - r r d a s s B ) t r r
J o
e r n t r u r r l t
J o
t d e l u o r
u o u c [ t t u r . I ] r l t s t l t g
' s r l t { l q
- r s s o d s , t , r t g o l d a t r r o t l . t o t ; d D p e r l d u r r u u L p o q u r : t - m
J o
s u o l l o u p r r S o l o q d , r o r u l e q l s r l l P
I u o r l r p t - r l
- r o 3 r r o r l r f g r t s n f p : r S o l o q d r o t u r t s u r e S t J s l e r L I E I e u o u o i t r : l q o l s J 8 u o l t s J t l 1
. . d r u o t o q r r p
: , r n t d l n r s - E u r l u l t d e
J o
L I o I l I p r l u r : a d o ; n g r r [ ] 3 q o l l l t
- ] o
r - r n l t u * l l
S u r t d e : : e u e q l s r e u o
' t r t
J o
e l n t r u : q r ( S r r r u o r l s a n b r o u ) S u r l d e r t r L p t e - r 1 e e ' r t n o L s S u r
- l u r r d r { n u n o . { j I
' l r r :
J o
p u l 4 t s I S u I t u I d
' : g r l e d s
s i S u r l u r c d p r o . \ \ e q l p u t p r e u a 8 s l l - t t
p - r o ^ \ o q t e s n r l r q s , l t q J
' l r
q l l . t t s : o 8 l t r l l u o l l r P E l l . r q r S u r l d e r l t s r e t 1 ( a ' r n r d l n : s ' r o )
8 u r
- l u r r d
s l d a t r e l s r l J t r r r
J I
' l r t
J o
o J n l r u J r l l S u r u o t l s e n b J q l o u u l r r J u o ' S l l r t u r t d j o e - t n l t u
J q l S u r u o q s J n b s r e u o j t l
' l l e
J o
J J n t t u a r l t u o t t s e n b o l s u t e u l \ \ o u l s I l . I E u e S u r e g , , : e l J q . u
_ e s [ J
p r r s 3 ^ E r {
I
s E l n q
. u E J o
J ] n t r u J r l l u o r l s : n h l o u o p 3 l r l r s l s r l l r p u u s l r l r t l l s r F r l r r o J
, , ' 4 a z n h [ i r n s r . r .
a ; , L e q ] , , : s 8 u r t u r e d s , D I s t 4 O s e l n f p a q r : r s : p . { l t f , u r J r n s
o s p : t d d r 1 i ( : n 1 s e ' l O
' l l c
s s J I p u I u I E s , l l
' U l r
J o
s > [ J o , { \ - I s I I J t a o ] J J u t l q l l l e s J l s l l
J o
e n l , l t r .
, { q L p r o U p s r r r r o l e q U t t s { t u l r o J e s n t r a q , ( 1 a s n a . r d s I U t
J o
s l l o . l v r u I l l l s r u r l r
1 t n l d : : u o . r
J q l u o l r r J L r r l u o r t , u o p d J q t , { r 1 . t r d 1 l : r : x E
' t J
J o
s > l J o ^ \ u I l u J l l l e l a
l t n l c l e : u g r
J q l s s t d t r g
s r ( r . u . 1 t s r r l r , n l s l 1 t u l - i o , J e l u r s ' u E
J o
s l - r o l \ u a l e J I E p : 2 , { 1 r u r s l : : f q o J t [ ] ] o r i J o l a r l l J L [ - t \ u o
t u o r l n l r o r t t s e o p r o N
- : l . I ?
J o
L I o I l J u n J - I o o f n l u J q t
f o
S u i p u B l s , I J P I I n - r n o o l ( s 1 r e ; - r o ) a i i p a
aesthetics, as we have polnted out, are conceptutlly
irreievant to art. Thtts, any physic:il thing
crn becorne olt.iet d,drt, tl'rat is to say, carl be considcred tasteful, aesthetically
pleasing' etc'
But this has no bearrnEi on the objc'ct's application
to an rlt context; that is' its
f'rrrctionin'g
in an art corltext.
(E.g. if a collector takes a painting, attaches 1egs, and uses it as a dininc-
t:rble it's:rrr act unrclated to art or the artist becaltse,
(ls
drt, thf,trvasn't thc ;ttt'tst's irttention')
And rvhat holds trr-re for Duchamp's
work applies as r'vel1 to most of the art after hinr'
In other \vorcls, the value of cubism is its idea itr thc re:rlm of art, not the physical or vi-
sual qualities seen in a spccific painting, of the p.llticularization
of certain colors or shapes'
For thesc colors al}d shapes are the art's "language," lrot its merning conccptually
:rs art To
look r-rpon a cubist
.itraster:rvork"
now ts art is nollsensical, conccptually speaking, :rs far as
art is concerned.
(That visual infomration rvhich \,vas unique in cubisrn's hnguage has nolv
bee' generally absorbed and has a lot to do with tl'rc rvay in rvhich one deals r'vith painting
,,lingr,ristically.,'
{E.g
rvhat a cubist painting meant expcrirnentally
and col1ceptuall1' to'
,"y, cl..tr,rd" Stein, is beyond our spe cuiation because thc same painting then "nteant" sonle-
thing clifferent than it does nor.r,'.}) The
"value"norv of an original cubist painting rs not
unlike, 1n nost fespects, an origirral nlanuscrlpt by Lord B1'rorr, or The Spirit o/ St. Lortls as
it is seen i1 the Smithsonial
llstitution.
(lncleed, nrLlseums fill the verv same function as
the Smithsonian
Institr-rtion-u,hY
else wor-rld theJeu dc Pawne wing of thc Lor'rvrc cxhibit
c6zanne,s ancl Van Gogh's palettes as prouclly as thc'v clo their palntings?) Actual rvorks of
art are little more th:rn historical curiosities.
As lar as r;r/ is concerned van Gogh's paint-
ings aren't worrh any morc than l-ris palette is. They are both "collector',s items"
Art
,,lives"
thr-ough influencing other art, not by existing as the physicai residue of an
artist,s ideas. The reason why different artists fl-om the past are
"bror'rght alive" again is be-
cause soille aspecrt of their work becomes
'irsable" b1' living artists That there is no
"truth"
as to rvhat .rrt is seenls quite unr:ealized'
what is the fiurctron of art, or the nature of art? If \ve continue our analogy ot tne
forms art takes as being art's language one can realize then that a \r'ork of art is a kincl of
propositiort presented within the context of art as a comlllent on art'
-works
of arr are al.)alytic propositions.
That is, if vicu'cd within their context-as art-
they provide no inforrnation \vhat-so-ever
about any nl:ltter of fact A Nork of rrt is r t:ru-
tology in tl-rat it is a presentation of the artist's intention, that is, he is sayine that a partic-
ular rvork of art l.s art, \vl]ich means, ts t deinitiott of art. Thus, tliat it is art ls trLle a prtorL
(u,l]ich is rvhat
Judd
means when 1-re states thf,t
"if someoue cal1s it art, it's art")'
Indeed, it is nearly inrpossible to discttss art in general terms rvithout talking in tautolo-
gics-filr ro attempt ,,, "ir"rp" art bv a'y other
"handle" is to merely focus on f,nother as
pect oI quality of tl'. p,opo,ition rvlriclr is usually irrelcvant to the :rrt lvork,s
.,aft
condi-
tion." one beelns to realize that art's
"art condition" is a cotrceptual state' That the language
forrtrs r.vhich the artlst tiarnes his propositions in arc often
"private" codes or ianguages ts
an ilevit:rble outcone of art's freedonl from 1 orphological
constrictious;
and it follor'vs
fi-onr this tbat o'e has to be familiar rvith contenporary
21rt to :rppreciate it and understand
it. Likervise one understands why t[e
"n-ran on the street" is intolerant
to lrtistic art and al-
rvays der-nands art in a traclitional
"language'" (And one unclerstands rvhy formalist art "seils
like hot cakes.") only in painting and sculpture dicl the artists al1 spcak the saure language'
d44 LANGUAGE
AND CONCEPf'S
W e b M a
s n s S I i I S ] N O ]
( t N V A C V O C N V f
a r . r o , , ( u r p l n o q s
' , | q . t t
( ' c r a ' L p t l n r e l o u
" { ' 1 p u o r 1 r : 1 r ' t e ; 3 )
, , s e o p
p t o l l t q ^ \ l n o
F u i ' r n 8 g " t s n f
p 3 e p u l s r l l J q
J I
' ) l o ^ \
s l q
J o
s u o r l r f q d u r r a q r
J o
o J t ' t \ l 1 q x u r
' { ' r a l
s r ' u o t { l ' t l J e s
" ' J 3 l t l
r n o p e r n 8 g
I I
s , l E L I J
' l t r 1 l
s p l r o p o l l u o l d n l o u s , l i l n q ' s s r u l s n g
s q s ( l q l ' l l u l I
i l l r
o 1
s l u r l ! \ J l r o J r u o s
3 r
i , , ( ] r l q : t u t u r p e 8 e 8 u a u r r :
1 , ,
' s r ( e s
t l J e s p J E r l J I l J
, , ' u E
e { t l u l o u o p
I "
' t x r t r l o l
s . t r r l
J o
a p r s l n o r u a q l s l n d - { r r 1 t n b
, , : g n : d q ,
: r a g t
p r r y d l p u o s . r a d r t t t q q l r . \ \ p e ^ l o ^ u r r s o q l L I t L l l - r e q l o
e u o ' ( u t o l s s r l a s n a : r s 8 u n r r : r u : ' l t l : : f
- q n s
J o
s ' p r i r y J s o r i l e s n t : r q
, , u o r s s e r d x a - 3 1 3 s ' ,
J o
s u o l l o u s . > l l o l l o ' [ s r l ] e o l l u r l l o d u t t
s s a l
u e . \ 3 s r r t q 7 y 1
( S u r f s r x a L l s n o r . t e r d s t ^ \ l t r { ' \ \
- 1 o
u o r l d o p t s , 3 u o J o u ' 1 r o 1
' s } i r t ' r q
e u o l e r i ^ \
s r t r e
u r r u t r - r o d r u r
s I 1 r l . \ \ ' s p l o , \ \ r o r l l o u 1 )
' i p m
a q l o t
1 e 1 t r r : d
r u a q l S r r n q
P U E
s r r t l r l o l l s
r e l o s 8 u r d d r r P s s o q r l n d
: e l t 1 e q l q l
s l l u t l : o c l u r r l ( ' s ' l t t l l N
l o o H 3 q 1 o 1 d l e l u o z r r o q
s t A u E J o s o o l u o p e t u r t d e r l s s n e r e q s t l t l u e l : o d u t l
s r
r y o l l o d J I
' l - r t
l t u o l l I p t : r i o
e 8 t n 8 u t l
l t l S o l o q c i r o r u
a q l u I p e l u e s J r d
, , s u o t l t i n l e f e , ,
q l n s
' { l t n s n
3 - r l l s > l f , o ' \ \ l s l u o r s s : r d x E
"
r : ; ' t r
o l p e s o d d n s s t , \ \ l I r l l l q , \ \ o l l t q l
S u i z u e l J t J r i l
' ( t ' u
o u u t ' u o t l t l n : t f a
J - I a I I s q
P l n o ' t t
] J
' u o r t r s o d o ; d e u r n u a 8 t s s e - r d x a l o u p l n o ' \ \ s l o q r u L s o ^ l l l l l l s u o r u e p J o p s l s r s u o f r { J I q ' \ \ 3 f u J l
- u o s
V ,
: r l J n s s e p J - r s P t s u o r J q p l n o r ' s u t r a l s , r o ' ( y q l r ' t t S u t n u t l u o l ' t u s r u o t s s a : d x E
o r n 4
' L l o r l r p u o l u t l u n q e q l
; o , , a : t d s
e t l u g u r , , r q l o l u r
, , l l q l o , ,
s . l l e
J o
l n o
S u n g s I r u o ' l e q l t r r n q ' ( s : e q r o p u e ' s u r o l N
- ' r r 4 r . 1
' u l ^ t l J ' p p n [ ' e : p u y ' i o q r t l N
' u l r ] s u e l l l r l ' I ' s u q o f ' 8 : e q r r r l l r s n t x ^ ( 1 ' r u e
' l p ' t t q u t a l
' > p o l l o d ' u t u p u o 6 1
' t l J r ^ a l e w
J o
> y o ' \ \ 3 L 1 l s e o p s r : ) l ' r r
3 o
r l n l t u 3 q 1 l n o q e
s u o r l s e n b
; o
> l J o , t r e l u l 3 : a 3 , r t 1 e q t q r i r t e n S o p r p t o l u r > l l l 3 g S r r r ' u s r u l n : : r : t o l e u o S u r r q l o u
s o o p s l e l s
: r l e q l u . ( s s l r u s q t e 1 d l t : r - r r d r u a u o r l l s o d o l d e q l
, , r E I r 3 ^ , ,
o 1 p e l d u r e l s ' & : ' t L p s r e L I o : s u l r s l
r r l e q l u . ( s u r u o r r r s o d o . i d u 1 l L I s S u n u e ' r 3 s l r o l e n p s r I J P
! . l I l s r l t J : , , 3 i o
A q e : r u n
: q 1
' ' ' s p u n o : 8
i t r t r r d r u s
u o r l q e u l l s ^
s r u o l r r e s s i t s t r ; o . & r s 1 t 3 r o r { l n r l e r l l u r t l ' ' ! \
" { s
o 1 s l l t r 1 l ' - r O
' u o r l r s o d o r d r r l e q l r t ' { s t ( : g o r
s t d r u e t t t t r u * 1 . \ \ - & p l g r p
s t q
' r o )
a q l o u u r 1 r r :
L q l t r o p l s u o l s n l r l ' p u e q l e q l o 3 q l u O
' u o l l e r u r l e l J o J l l t
i o
l x J l u o l
e q l e p t s l n o S u r o 8
t n o q r l ^ \ t t l r
s t p e l t n e r d d e e q u t r
P u l r
e u r t s 3 q l e l c l l l l p u E ( , , r y o ' t r " ' ' r o )
" e : p r
l - r r " r L I l ' ' r ' I
l L . 3 o l o l n t t s r t I l E q l
s r s f r l E u l J q l t u r p u r : : r 3 o 1 q l l ' { \ u o r l [ u o ] u I s t q l l t l e q ' { \ ' l t e d e r
o a
' l r r 3
1 : r r - r r d r u e J o
s l l o r l
_ s e n b q ] r , u ] o u p u t ( i : e 1 o ) S u o I ] I u U J p ] n o J o s e f u e n b e s u o : I t r u J o J J I { l q ] L { \ p J u I J ] U o ] s I l I
I r q t
s r { r r n b u e
1 t r r 3 o 1
, ( 1 e r n d r
J o
> l r t r u r r l s l r s l f , E r q J 3 r 1 l l t q l
e r s
i l r { s
3 ' { \ r o ' {
' r r 3 o 1
t t t o
s : t t r a d o t r t t t q l , ( t s u t l e . u - ( l S u r p r o l l v
' u t
J o
s u o r l r u u e p ; o s a r u e n b e s u o r
I t L U - r o J
e q l l o
' u E
J o
s u o r t r u g e p s s a : c i x e d e q l l s r : r e f q o
F l u e l u
u r ^ r r o ' p : r s ' ( q d
J o
l n o i ^ e q o g r q l s q r r l s e P
] o u o P . { o q l . s r w q f - - ' n | J ' J 1 l [ r u r : r l s n r 8 u r l ] n q . F n l t r e J ] o u J J l 3 1 . I 1 ] J o s u o l ] I s o d o l d e q l . s p : o , t t
r a q l o u l ' q t . u o r S l t q r B u r , u o l i o 3 d l t r r s o l 3 o e l q t d t r e ; t s u o r l r s o d o r d s r q ' u ' o q ( z ) p u t q t - u o r 8
p r l t d . r . r o r g o a l q t d t c s I u E q r l q ^ \ u r ( i ) { e ' t t e q l r { 1 I ' { \ d l u o p o u ; e : u o r s I e H
' s 8 u n l t
3 o
s a t l
_ : a d o l d l e : r s d q d s q ] q ] I . { \ p o u ] o f u o ] ^ I ] ] O ] I P ] o u s r . ] s ( p r r t u e s t . ] s r ] ; t J t I ] J o c . s 3 u r q r 3 o
3 J n l t u 3 q ] ] n o q
U o l ] r s o d d n s a . r d
. ] I l e L I ] s 3 t
l . u r : s s e l q : r r r u
. p l t r t d r u e
, { u r : u o l u a p u a d e p l o u
s r s u o r t r s o d o ; d c r l s i l r r
3 1 o
t r r r p q t , t a q a : 8 u r . u o 1 1 o J 3 q l 3 q p p o ' t t a B t n B u E I
J o
l x a l u o l
3 q l u I
p o q t e l u r r l d l e u t o r l l l n o q p e l r e s s E r a ' { y l t q - t t u t o l u o n t l e r u r B u t l t l s ; o ' { t ' t t r e q l o u v
' l l l r
l r u o l l f , J l 3 p u f r l J u r > l l s o r u
. 3 . e
: s u o r l r s o d o r d , t r . e u
; o
S u t u r r r ; 3 q l u r e l l ] . ( I - r r s s a r e u l r u s s o p
a 3 t n 3 u e 1 . l t : r r r q S n o q l l e
' s a 8 r : n 8 u t 1
. { \ r l r p u u o t t d u r e l l c
a q l u o u o s r s l s r l r l u l o J a q t
' { q , , t r y
d r l a ' t o N , , p r l l t l s I l t q r r y \
@ 2
I v l e r
E a r
think of it as art? If he doesn't take the responsibility of it being art, who c:rnj or shor-rlcl?
His rvork certainly appe:lrs to be err-rpirically verifirble: lead can do arrd be used lor manv
physical activities. In itself this does anything but lead us into a dialogue about the narure
of art. In a sense then he is a prin-ritive. He has no idea about art. Hor,v is it then that rve
knorv about "his activiq"'? Because he has told us it is art by his:rctions o-fter"Itis activitv"
has taken place. That is, by the fact he is with several galieries, pLlts the physical r:esidue of
his activity in museums (and sells thenr to art collectors-but as we have pointed out, coi-
lectors are irreievant to the "condition of art" of a work). Tl-rat he denies his r,vork is art
but plays the artist is more than just a paradox. Serra secretly feels that "arthood" is arrived
at empirically.
-What
onc finds all thror-rghor-rt the rvritings of Ad Reinhardt is this very similar thesis
of "art-as-art,"
and that 'irt is always dead, and a 'living' art is a deception." Reinhardt had
a very clear idea about the nature of art, and l'ris importance is fal fronr L.eing rccognizcd.
Forurs of art that can be considered synthetic propositions are verifiable by the rvorld,
that is to say, to understand these propositions one nlllst leave the tautological-like Il-arne-
work of art and consider "outside" information. But to consider it as art 1t is ne.essrrv to
igllore this same outside information, because outside information (experiential c1-ialities,
to note) has its own intrinsic worth. And to comprehend this r,vorth one does not need a
state of irt condition."
From this it is easy to realize that art's viabiliq, is not connected to the presentation of
visr-ral (or other) kinds of experience. That this nray have bc-en one of art's extraneous flrnc-
tiotts in the prececiing centuries is not unlikely. After all, rlan in even the nineteenth-
centllrv lived in a fairly standardizecl visr-ral environment. That
js,
it was ordinarilv predictable:
as to what he r'vould be conring into cont:rct rvith clav after da,v. His visual environrnent in
the part of the world in rvhich he livc'd was fairly consistent. In our tirne rve have an ex-
perientially drastically richer environnlent. One can flv all over the earth in a rnatter of
hours and days, rrot months. We have the cinema, and color television, as lvell as the rnal-
made spectacle of the lights of Las Vegas or the skyscrapers of Nerv York City. The rvhole
world is there to be seeu, and the rvhole r,vorld can rvatch man rvalk on the rnoon lrom
their living rooms. Certainlv art or objects of paintine and sculpture cannot be expected
to compete experientially with this?
The notion of 'use" is relevant to art and its "language."
Recently the box or cube forn-r
h:is beeu used a great deal lvithin the context of art. (Take for instance its use by
Judd,
Morris, LcWitt, Bladen, Smith, 8e11, and McCracken-not to rnention the quantiry of boxes
and cubes that came after.) T1're dillerence betrveen all the various uses of the box or cube
form is directly related to the differences in the intentions of the artists. Further, as is par-
ticularly seen in
Judd's
rvork, the use of the box or cube forrn illustrates very weil our ear-
lier claim that arr object is only art r,vhen placed in the context of art.
A fer,v examples rvill point this out. One could say that if one of
Judd's
box forms u,as
seen filled rvith debris, seen placed in an industrial setting, or even merely seen sitting on
a street corner, it
-'vould
not be identified rvith art. It follorvs then that understanding and
consideration of it as an art work is necessarlt a priori to viewing it in order to
,,.see',
it as a
rvork of art. Advance information about the concept of art and about an 2rrtist's concepts
U+6 LANGUAGE AND CONCEPTS
L r 8 S I d : I ] N O f O N V A C V N C N V ' I
' t z - t z : ( 9 2 6 t
A r ?
n u r f ) z u o r r ' 4 u r p r r u l r d s . I : ( 9 1 , 6 r ) I ( : p e r 3 1 a i 1 ) 9 l n q o p 1 l
, , ' l r y
l u : r u ; E t u t w - J l r S
l o C J , ' : t r o d o ; 1 u e : o 7
, .
r p l l , ' 1 1 ' u I s I T t - I e q I T S u I l s I x J J I { 1 s
[ e . { \
s t ' . { . f t J ] n e . I n q a l l l J l s l u l r u p t - e l e l s S u r l s r x : : L I l ' J J I I
- r t r d ( t q s r u t ) p e l r - i a l l u r
J o
a s n e f , e q s 8 u n { t r r q t o s e p r s r q r r l q n d
l E r n l l n - r
r n o u r r l n r o q l s r l r o l
- e q s e q s r s e r { i s r q l
' d 8 o 1 o e p r
J o
l u e p u s d r p u l
s r l r l l l t q l
P a ^ e r T 3 q
d l t : : u a 8 s r l i
( 5 l . 6 r ) l r y l u e l u a S E u E w - . l l r s
r o {
f I A O d O d N V I { O Z
. u r
J o
u o r t r u u s p e q l s r t r v
. t t
l o 3 s r L u r p l f d p r o s , t . r y
' I f t
t r q p e u u r ^ e q t o l r u r f , p u r ' u o r l r r s s t
u r s r J f u e l L I J S S u r p e : e : d a q l u e . \ J t c r l l s I q t 8 u e J l s s . l J t p u v
' s u o l l J o s s l l
a > l t r u o l
P t q
^ r { d o s o l
- r q d e r e r l . . r
, , s r r s . ( r i d
p u o L a q , , s S u i q l
3 o
r t t t s e q t L I t r ^ \ d l s n o S o l e u e s l t o p t r r t n l t e q t q 3 r u 1 l
8 u r 1 n d 3 o . ( e . u r a q t o u r ' r g
, , ' s p e a u
p n t l t l d s s , u t L L I , , p a T F t r r ^ E I { l q S t u r a 8 t r e q l o u t l t r l . \ \ s I [ U I n J
I r r l t r o ^ r e p u e e u o a q L l q r s s o d d E r u l r r
, u o r S q e :
p l r r d r l d o s o l q d ; a t j r ' u n u
3 o
p o r l 3 d s r q t u I
' a l t s
u . & \ o s l r l o j s l s l x o p e e p u l I J V
' l o u
s r u t
. l n J a s n
e l s l o l u o p u e r J q t o o r l t s t o l J t l l \ t n g ' e f u 3 l f s ' 1 1 4 , u s t ' p u e s c t l e r u e q l r r u ' J I 3 o l r l l L \ \
s r r t r ] l t l r l r r s s r r B r l s t r r t r r i t l x r l u o f , s r q t u r s r t I
' s l u e l u e S P n l F : r q d o s o l q d
r u o r S
J o o l B
u r E r u r r
o t
^ r t n r d e f
r r l t s r r a t t t l q l r n b l u n s , U E L I I - I o J : e f u t t s
l t r l q d o s o l l q d
S u n u n s s t i o , . { q r l q e
- r A u r r u a r
I I r . { \
t r ' r e q t r r n q ' & 3 o l o u q r r l p u t e r n l l n r q : s l q , { q p e : t 1 d o r . { 1 l s e e S u r q l e r u o s s i
r l f , n l . { \ - u o r t r J o J e p l o ' e : u a r . t e d x e ( r e q l o . r o )
I e n s l l
' l u J r u u l l ? l l e l l l s s E - a f I A . l J S r S u l r u l o J
- J e d r c u
s l r u o
^ 1 u o
l o u p u J d a p
I I L { \
l s l x e o t A I I [ I q u s , u t ' s u o l l d l u l - I s s r s ] r j o s s n t f a q
I t e r u n
s r d q d o s o p q d
F u o t l r p t r r
l o : l
" : : : :
: l i ' l l : . : : l ' . : " 1 . : : ' ^ : ' : i 1 , : : : : : l t
I
u r r { t e r r H
' '
c r u r o J
u r r r a r l t
J o
A l r l B s r u n a L I l
I e g
A r r l l l t q l e q 1 I U B J
' s r l E a q l
p u r s l r a l q o
F n l r r J o
o s n o q t p r e , \ \ o r d l l u e r e - r s t e o d
, . e : I a r : u o l , ,
d q r l o r u J q l u I u e r s r q u c l
f u t a o d
3 o
s e 8 r l s t u o p t l l e p t s t l r q t
I r o A
. { \ e N u 1
; a 8 t n 8 u t l
t t c u E s e a S t n 8 u t l
, , u o l l r t u o r , ,
J o
o s n s , - { r t r o d r u o r ; s r r s , { q d r l a r u p e q d r u r e q t o t r l q e t t l e . r d r t a o d
J o
r u r T f , r P a q l l o u s l
- r r r - r r s o r u L u o r { r J o l r e d s t r r : q l s t ' ' r r a ' r r s n t u r " r l t : i r : : : : : ; J : # i l l T : : : : t j 1 :
' l r ^ o u J r { l d r l e o d . ( q p a s s e s s o d
, , u o I t I p u o l
l r , , u E o l e l q t l t l a r s e r l q e n b s n o l r u l o l l f l e
' o r u u l q r u e s e - r
, , L p u t g , ,
t ( s t u - I e t s . u l o l s
- u e 3 u r 1 6
u t t n q e ^ . E r l s t r t a q t
J o I I E
' r e . r a m . o q ' s r s . { . 1 t u r
I B r r U
i l l l u l
' s u r r r l l o r
! , l r t , , I ? , r e u e 3
e r l r
I l J o
S u n u n s s r t s r o l e q t p u r : ' ( a . r n t r u s t r
J o )
S u r u o r l s e n b ' r r t a 8 r e u e t s o r u r r i t s t : : n l d p r r s
p u r S u r l u r e d u r o l s a l y !
J o
t l 1 o o l u u r t t q t t r c o r l t t e r l t u r q t r l q p u t t s r e p u n s r 1 1 : l q r s s o d t s o u r
s e i i l o f , r q
, , e 8 r : n 8 u e 1 , ,
t r r { t
J o
t u e r r t u o p l l t q E l l t
. J o
. & I T l q r s n e l d e q r t t r l t . ( r o t s l q t s o t l o t l s r q l
q t r - t r
, , r 8 n B u E L ,
E
J o
u o r s s a s s o d s . t , r e u r r p o r u u r s r t l
' r l q t t r l p e : d
p r r c S u t r u r o j u o r s s r l s l l n s r l
p u g o t . ( 1 e 1 q e - r o r u s r r u o u o u J u n J s 1 r
3 o
S u r t s r s u o f , p u e t l S o l o q d ; o r u s l r
J o
, { l e l e l d a s S r r r l s r
- x e l x e l u o f r s r a r J q t J - r a q . . l t . J o l
, , ' l r , ,
r l r r J l
l e r c u a 8
a r { l
J o
J J n l u e q l : a q d n e p e , { \ q l l q . t t
r u o . r 3 o l d r u r x e e q t s r - ( S o l o q d r o r u p o x r j t s r r l e q ] r l t r . { \ t r r o r { t t q r e s r r d . r n s o u s E s o u l o f , t l
' u o r t r u u a p
e
1 o
s 1 w d E : r r t p r J r a > l r l J o - u o n r p u o f t r e s t r o l l u e , t J l : r , r l J J p l t t l t s t r o d s e J a p l s u o l
o l . { l q r r r t , t u r s t s l r t d s , t d J f u o l t , r a p l s u o J o J
' J i o q . \ \
s l r u I p o - r e p l s u o f J q l s m [ ( , { t . r r s r q t t r
u e u r t . u p r p e q q 8 n o q t ' p r r s p p n f s E ) t d e l u o l t l r r q l
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