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Stopping Making Art

Stopping Making Art

ArthurC.Danto
PresentedattheUniversityofIllinois,Springfield,ontheoccasionof
anexhibitionofmyprints,23September2009.
OnceIdecidedtocloseshopasanartist,Imoreorlesserasedthat
entireepisodefrommybiography,soitwasasthoughithadnever
happened.Mostofmyphilosophicalcolleagueshadinanycasethought
ofitasahobbymuchasmyfriendsintheartworldconsidered
teachingphilosophyasmydayjob.Ithadbeeneasyformetokeepthe
twoapart,sinceIfelttheyhadnothingmuchincommon.Thefieldof
aestheticsheldnointerestformeinanycase,andwhenIfirstmovedto
NewYorktopursueacareerasartistand,atthesametime,todo
graduateworkinphilosophyatColumbia,Iwaspuzzledbyhowlittle
thecanonofaestheticsappearedtobearonwhatwashappeninginart,
wheretheconceptoftaste,socentralinthephilosophicaltexts
addressedtoart,hadnothingtodowiththepaintingthatshookthe
world,AbstractExpressionism.Therewassolittleoverlapthatgiving
upartwaslikegivingupsmoking,sofarasdoingphilosophywas
concerned.Likemanyanalyticphilosophers,Ifeltthatdoing
aesthetics,asthatwasofficiallypursued,was,well,notreallydoing
philosophy.In1964,IwasknockedoffmyhorsebyashowofAndy
WarholsgroceryboxesattheStableGallery,andindeedthatyearIdid
writeapiececalledTheArtWorld,basedontheartthatwas
sweepingthefieldPopandMinimalism.ButtheartthatIhadgiven
upseemedtohavenothingtodowiththeexcitingworkonecouldsee
atLeoCastellisgallery,thenon77thSt.,ortheGreenGalleryon57th
St.So,yearslater,whenRandyAuxier,theeditorofTheLibraryof
LivingPhilosophers,proposedthattheprojectedvolumeonmywork
mightcontainanessayonartasIhadpracticedit,IsaidNo:therewas
noconnectionbetweenthephilosophyIwroteandtheartImadeand
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putasidesometimebetween1962and1963evenifasignificant
partofthephilosophyIwrote,fromthe1980son,happenstohavebeen
aboutart.Icouldneverhavegeneratedthatphilosophyoutofmyown
workasanartist.
IrecallaninternaldialoguethattookplacewhileIwasworkingona
blockofwood,intendedforaprint,inwhichIactuallysaidtomyself
thatIwouldratherbewritingphilosophy.Myresponsewas:Well,if
youfeelthatway,itsprobablytimetostop.ItwasnotthatIwas
gettingnowherewithmywork,whichconsistedprimarilyofwoodcut
prints.ItwasratherthatIfeltIhadashotatsayingsomethingfairly
originalinphilosophy.Ihadwrittenabookinthephilosophyofhistory
thathadideasthatwereatoncenewandfundamental.Ihadideasabout
thephilosophiesofknowledgeandactionthatstruckmeasleadingto
somethingimportant.Ialsothoughtthatthattherewerethings
happeninginartthatwerefreshandexciting,butinwhichIwouldhave
tochangeradicallyasanartistifIwastobepartofitall.AndIthought
thattheideasIwasworkingwithasanartistwerelimited,evenifthe
workhadacertainquality.Insomedeepway,somethingwasstirring
intheearlysixtiesthatIwantedtobepartof,andIthoughtthat
philosophy,asIwasbeginningtopracticeit,wasmorelikelytotake
metherethanartwouldthoughAndyWarhol,whocouldnothave
beenmorecentral,wasforatimedespisedsincehetooknopositionon
VietNam.Inanycase,Istoppedmakingartcoldturkey,dismantling
mystudio,rollingmyprintsup,stowingawaymywoodblocks.AndI
havenotsomuchasmadeadoodlesince.Itreallywaslikegivingup
smoking,thougheasier.Itwaseasiertostopmakingartthantochange
thewayImadeit.
Itwouldneverinamillionyearshaveoccurredtometohavehada
showofmyworkonceIstoppedbeinganartist.Forthepresentshow,I
havetothankthephilosopherandaesthetician,EwaBoguszBoltuc,
whosawoneofmyprintsforsaleontheInternetandwrotemeanote
aboutit.Thenotecamequiteoutoftheblue.IknewEwafrom
professionalmeetingsIhadnotknownofherinterestinprints.(Itake
itforgrantedthataestheticiansareinthenatureoftheircalling
interestedinartassuch.}Hernote,writtenjusttwoyearsago,was
quitearevelation.WhoknowswhetherImighthavepersistedasan
artist,hadsomeonesentmeanotelikehersintheearlysixties!
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DearProf.Danto,Iwonderwhetheryoueverconsider
publishingorexhibitingagainyourprints.Iwasbrowsing
throughtheArtofthePrintwebpage,andcameupononeof
yourprints.Thiswoodcut,althoughIcanseeitonlyonthe
Internet,looksexquisite.NotveryoftenhaveIseenwoodcuts
thatareexecutedinsuchapainterlymanner,mainlywithsoft
patchesoflightsandshadows.So,isthereanychancetosee,
onewayortheother,yourprints?

Ewaisapassionateanddeterminedperson,andonceIsaidthatIwould
bepleasedtoshowherwhatIhad,shearrangedtomakeastopinNew
York.Sheisalsoapersonofaction,andthisexhibitionisanextension
ofherpersonality.IamalsoparticularlygratefultoLizMurphy
Thomasforthespectacularinstallationshehasgiventhework,andthe
brilliantcatalogshedesigned,thatmakessalienttheaestheticsof
blackandwhitethatinfusestheimageswithlife.Mydealer,Sylvan
Cole,ofAssociatedAmericanArtists,usedtosaythatcoloredprints
weretobethewaveofthefuture.Buttheonlythingthatinterestedme
wasblackandwhite.Ididnothavethepatienceneededtodealwiththe
registrationofformscolorprintingrequires.Mylatefriend,Shiko
Munakata,indifferenttotradition,simplypaintedhisprints.Butthe
waterysplashesofcolor,inmyjudgment,diminishedthestrengthof
theblackformsthatlaysostarkanduncompromisingagainstthe
whitishpaper.
Irealizethatitisnotacriticismoftheworkthatithasnothingtodo
withphilosophy.Itwascertainlyanartofitstime,thoughithardlyfit
intotheradicalmodeofartthatseducedmeinthe1960s,andwhich
did,itturnedout,openpathsintophilosophy.Lately,Ihavebegunto
seethattherearetwoviewsofartinoneofthegreatdeepworksthat
hascomedowntous,ImmanuelKantsCritiqueofJudgment.Thereis
aviewofartasprovidingexperienceslittledifferentfromthose
providedbynature,withwhichKantopens.Itleadstoanempty
formalism.Muchlaterinthebook,Kantshiftsintoanentirelydifferent
mode,inwhichtheaestheticsofnaturecanplaynorole.Thisisan
aestheticsofmeaning,requiringakindofinterpretativeperception,and
itconcernswhatKantcallsspirit.Ithasnothingtodowithtasteor
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pleasure,themaincomponentsofhisfirsttheory.Itisbecausetaste
andpleasurearetoopallidtoaccommodatethepowerofthegreat
AbstractExpressionistcanvasesofJacksonPollock,Willemde
Kooning,FranzKline,MarkRothko,RobertMotherwell,andBarnett
Newmanortheworkofamorerecentmaster,SeanScullythatI
feltphilosophyhadnothingworthsayingaboutthatart.Myprintswere
conceivedandexecutedundertheimperativesoftheNewYorkSchool,
eveniftheywerefigurative,andmostlyonasmallerscale.Butthe
greatworkinmidtowngalleriesinthe1950swassimplybeyondthe
reachofwhatwastaughtintheaestheticsofthephilosophicalseminar
room.
IhavelatelycometofeelthatthephilosophyofartIwentontowrite
doesowesomethingtomyhavingbeenanartist,thoughIcannot
pretendyouwouldfindatraceofitintheworkdisplayedhere.Myfirst
bookwastitledAnalyticalPhilosophyofHistory,laterreplacedbythe
titleNarrationandKnowledge.Asanartist,Iwasexceedingly
sensitivetowhatitmeanttolivewithasenseofhistory.Iwrotethat
bookintheSouthofFrancein1961.IrememberdrivinguptoParisin
early1962togototheAmericanLibrary,tocheckoutwhatwas
happeninginNewYorkbylookingatrecentissuesofArtNews.Iwas
stunnedtoseeapaintingbyRoyLichtenstein,calledTheKiss,which
lookedlikeitcamestraightoutofacomicbook.Iwasstunned!Itwas
likeseeingapictureofahorseinthenewspaperandreadingthatithad
beenelectedasthenewBishopofSt.JohntheDivine.Itjustseemed
impossible.HowcouldapicturelikethatbeshowninaNewYork
gallery,andreproducedinwhatwasatthetimethedefiningart
publicationinAmerica?ButIthoughtofTheKisstherestofmytime
inFrance.Ithoughtthatifitwaspossibleasartanythingwaspossible
inart.IrememberdrawingachurchinRomeafterthat,andthinking:
itsokaytobedoingthis.IcandoanythingIwant!ItwasthenthatI
thinkIreallylostinterestinmakingart.Thatwasaveryphilosophical
response.Inthosedaystherewasaprograminphilosophycalled
Phenomenalism.Itsclaimwasthatwecould,orevenshould,translate
everythingtherewastosayabouttheworldintotermsthatstoodfor
sensedata.Inthesixties,therewerepapersaboutsensedata,askingif
theywerereal.IknewaphilosopheratOxfordwholostcomplete
interestintranslatingintotheidiomofsensedatumlanguageoncehe
discoveredthatsensedatawerentreal.Hethought:whatsthepoint?I
begantofeelthatwayaboutthefigure.Whatwasthepointofdoingthe
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figureifitsmerelyallrighttodoit?Art,asIpracticedit,lostitsedge
forme.IrememberEdwardHopperdemonstratinginfrontofthe
Whitney,againstabstraction.Butwhatwasthepointoffigurationif
abstractionwasstillpermitted?In1959,theMuseumofModernArt
mountedashowcalledNewImagesofMan.Therewerepaintingsby
Giacometti,Bacon,LeonGolub,andothers.Thecriticalresponsewas
angry.Theshowwascalledregressive.ButMoMAwouldnot,in1959,
haveshownTheKiss.WhenKirkVarnedoeshowedcomicstripsinhis
show,HighandLow,hewasvilifiedandthatwasinthemid
eighties.Thecriticalestablishmentwasdeeplyoutofphase.
Thereare,inmywritingonthephilosophyofart,referencestoartists
responsestoart.Theyareselfportraitstheartistwasalwaysme,
tryingtoaccommodatehistory.Thosequestionshadtodowithwhatit
meanttobeanartistinhistory,especiallyintheheadyyearsofthe
sixtieswhenIknewtheartIhadbeenmakinghadnoplace.Maybeit
wouldhavehadaplaceintheseventies,whenPhilipGustonshowed
hiscomicalKuKluxKlanfiguresattheMarlboroughGallerytohoots
andhowlsfrompaintersofeverystripe.Bythattimemyprintswere
sittinginrollsinacloset,andIwaswritingthethirdvolumeinaseries
ofbooksonanalyticphilosophyAnalyticalPhilosophyofAction.
IdidnotreallyknowPhilipGuston,butwesharedanexperience.We
bothsat,atonetimeoranother,inDoctorSuzukisseminarinZen,at
Columbia.JohnCagewasafaithfulattendant.IknowthatAgnes
Martinwasthere.Iwroteaboutitsimpactonmeinmyessay,Upper
WestSideBuddhism.Intruth,IbelievethatSuzukisteachingwas
crucialinthemakingphilosophyoutofmyexperiencewithTheKiss.
Hereisoneofhisstories:amonkspatonastatueofBuddha,andwas
reprimanded.ThemonkrespondedthathehadbeentaughtthatBuddha
waseverywheresowherewasonetospit?Intheseventies,itbecame
clearthatanythingcouldbeart.Sowhynotmakeartthewayone
liked?Suddenly,Gustonwantedtomakeartoutofcaricaturesof
membersoftheKKK,smokingcigars.Hewantedtorepresentevil,and
saywhathethoughtaboutit.
IwaslivinginNewYorkwhentheissueofLifeMagazineappeared,
askingwhetherJacksonPollockwasAmericasgreatestartist.Thatwas
inApril1949,anditclarifiedformewhyIwasinNewYork.It
showed,Ifelt,whatmoderndrawinghadtobelike.Itwasaliveand
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energetic.Thequestionwashowtotranslateitintotheprintmediumin
whichIwasworking.Thatkindofdrawingwentwellagainstthe
grainofwoodcut,andhenceagainstthegrainofModernisttheory,
whichdemandedthateachmediumshouldseekwhatwasessentialto
itself,eliminatingeverythingelse.ThatwastheideaofClement
Greenberg,thegreatcritic.ButbythattimeIwasdeeplyintoZen,and
sawnoreasonwhyoneshouldnotbeabletocarvethemostenergetic
charactersintowood,aswithletters,forexample.Oncethatobstacle
wasremoved,itwasasimplemattertoraisethenextquestion.Iwas
not,despitemyphilosophicaleducation,interested,asanartist,in
abstraction.In1953,deKooninghaddonehispaintingsoffrightening
women,withheavybreastsandgoggleeyes,androwsofmenacing
teeth.ThesewereshownattheJanisGallery,andtheycausedahuge
sensation.Pollocksresponse,truetotype,wasanger:Youregoing
backintothegoddamfigure,hesaid,followingdeKooningsleada
fewyearslater.

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Iwasacompetentdraughtsman,asyoucansee.Butitwasratherrare
thatIundertooktodrawanythingforitsownsake.Rather,Iwouldstart
outwithscribblesandbrushstrokes,inthespiritofPollockandofde
Kooning,andwatchedtoseewhatemerged.ItwasasifIwaslooking
formessages,andwhatcameout,mainly,wereimagesofsomething
thatwaspartofmyworldofsomethingIkneworhadreadaboutand
beenmovedby.Iwaswaitingforsomethingthatwaspartofmyworld
mychildren,womenIloved,someanimals,somescenesfrom
fiction,poetry,history,thenewspaperslikethesuicideeffortof
BrigitteBardot,whofascinatedmebyherbeautyanddanger.They
lookedmodernbecausetheartistsIdrewuponweremodernAmerican
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artists.Buttheyalsolookedabstracttanglesofwiryblack,anchored
byheavybrushmarks.Iwentintomystudio,usuallyatnight,eagerto
seewhatturnedup.
Thenextthingwastotranslatethemintowoodcuts.Themaintaskwas
topreservethedrawingbydestroyingthedrawing.Thatmeans:keep
thespiritofthedrawingbytakingitfromthepapertothewood.Idid
nottrace,butdidsomethingthatwasbetterformypurposes.Ipainted
thewoodwhite,usingwatersolublepaint.ThenIpastedthedrawing
facedownwithrubbercement.IwantedthedrawingtobethewayI
madeit,notitsmirrorimage,whichiswhatyoutypicallygetin
graphicprocesses.Ithenmadethepapertransparentbysoakingitwith
linseedoil.AndIcutitoutusingXActoknivesandgougesasrouters.
Iusedthecheapestmaterial:shelfpaper,piecesoflumberIpickedup.
Idrewwithsticksandbigbrushes.Ineverusedcolor.Whatinterested
meincolorwouldhavebeenthewashesofJohnMarin,orthetouches
ofCezanneswatercolors.Butthatwouldhavebeenfussierthan
anythingIlikedinwoodcuts.SoIkeptitallsimple,makingbold
imagesthathityouintheeyes.Ihavesaidhowmydealerkepttrying
togetmetomakecoloredprints.Butthatwouldhaverequiredcareful
registrationofmultipleblocksthatwouldhavelookedlikesomething
else.Idefinedmyselfprettynarrowlyasanartist.IreallydidwhatI
wasabletodo.Ikindofperfectedthat.IdoknowthatIalsogotlarger
andlargerasIwentalong,whichsuitedthetimes.Intruth,Iwrite
philosophyinthesameway,scribblinguntilsomethingemerges,and
thenseeingwhereIcango.

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Allthiswasdonebymealone.Ididhavehelpwithprinting,though.
Twostudents,GaryGoldbergandMichaelKelman,helpedmeout.And
IdiduseexpensiveJapanesepapersricepaperormulberrypaper.
Youlaythepaperontheblockandrubtheimagethroughthepaper.
Theylayonthefloorallnightandweredrynextday.Afterthat,one
sentthemoutorcarriedthemaroundtothegalleries.Themoneymeant
alottome,butitwasnotthesortofworkIlovedshippingtheprints
outorkeepingtrackofthem.Ilovedmakingthem,butanybodycould
havehandledthebusinessside.WhenIgaveitallup,Iusedtosaythat
beinganartistnevergotinthewayofbeingaphilosopher,butbeinga
successfulartistdid.IdorememberbeingupsetwhenIheardLiz
Manning,thesalesperson,atAssociatedAmericanArtists,referringto
aworkofmineasaDanto.ButIhadnointerestinjustmakingart,I
wantedthemtoenterlife,andhangonotherpeopleswalls.Iwanted
themtobepartoflife,butlifehadchanged.IsawnoplaceforwhatI
didintheartofthesixties.Happily,Iwasflatoutaphilosopherthen,
andbecameanartcriticexactlytwentyyearslater,in1984.
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WhenIbecameacritic,Imeteveryoneunderthesun.ButIknewvery
fewartistswhenIwasanartist.Someprintmakers,somesecond
generationAbstractExpressionists.ImentionPollockandGuston,butI
neverknewthem.Theywerethegreatfiguresofmyworld,like
AchillesandAgamemnoninancienttimes.Theheroestodayarevery
different,andsotheartistsforwhomtheyareheroeshavetobevery
different.Icouldneverhavebeenanartistshapedbysuchheroes,
thoughasawriter,Iliketheirartwellenough.Iamgladtoseethatmy
workholdsupdespitethat.Inaway,Ifeellikeanoldmaster.

PRINT2010ArthurC.Danto

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