Journal of Fine Arts: Visual Arts

Journal of Fine Arts: Visual Arts

Subjective Aesthetics Contrast with the Theoretical Foundations of Pop Art according to Lawrence Alloway

Document Type : Research Paper

Author
aliakbar jahangard
Assistant Professor, Department of Painting, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran.
10.22059/jfava.2022.334468.666829
Abstract
 Kant’s thoughts and his important book on beauty and
aesthetics  -  Critique of Judgment  - should be considered
as one of the most important foundations of subjective
aesthetics. Subjective aesthetics in Kant’s theory
distinguishes fine arts from useful arts by attributing
characteristics such as non-functional, non-conceptual,
and genius-based to fine arts. In this respect subjective
aesthetics laid the theoretical foundations of modern
art - developed in the late nineteenth to the first half
of the twentieth century- in the eighteenth century. In
addition to modernism, which was directly influenced
by subjective aesthetics, this approach also had a great
influence on the art of the second half of the twentieth
century. The main feature of some artistic currents of
that period such as Pop art is based on a critical reaction
to subjective aesthetics. Pop art is a turning point of a
radically different approach to art and the foundations
of the art world. Understanding the characteristics of
Pop art is significantly based on reaction to subjective
aesthetics, and it seems that without subjective aesthetics
we cannot achieve a comprehensive understanding of
the nature of some artistic currents in the second half
of the twentieth century, including Pop art. Lawrence
Alloway is one of the most important theorists of PostModernist art. Alloway initially used the term Pop art
to describe some of the artists’ works in Europe and
America; works that were different in themes and
formal character from fine arts traditionally based on
subjective aesthetics. Opposing modernist elitism and
any transcendental character for art, Lawrence Alloway
sought to achieve a broad definition of culture and art
beyond subjective aesthetics; a definition beyond the
limits of fine arts, referring to all human activities. In
this way, is removed the distinction between fine arts and
useful arts in Kant’s theory. In this article, we seek to
gain a more accurate understanding of the nature of Pop
art by considering Lawrence Alloway’s views - as the
most important theorist of Pop art- and his thinking on
Kantian aesthetics. Finally, Lawrence Alloway’s theory
seems to consider art as functional and communicative
system, in order to both respond to subjective aesthetics
and to offer a different definition of art in general, which
is based on the system of functional communication. On
this basis and regarding Pop art, it can be inferred that
this theory does not agree with qualitative topics and
analyses of art. Because qualitative analysis depends
on subjective aesthetics, it is the opposite of Lawrence
Alloway’s communicative approach to art. From
Lawrence Alloway’s point of view, qualitative values
in art seem to neglect the achievement of a common
and equal field for all in art. For this reason, art as a
communicative medium is considered only as a platform
for providing information to the audience. 
Keywords
Pop Art
Fine Art
Lawrence Alloway
Subjective Aesthetics

  • آرچر، مایکل (1394) هنر بعد از 1960؛ ترجمه کتایون یوسفی؛ انتشارات حرفه هنرمند؛ تهران.

    پاکباز، رویین (1379) دایره المعارف هنر؛ انتشارات فرهنگ معاصر؛ تهران دیویس؛ دنی؛ هفریچر و دیگران (1388) تاریخ هنر جنسن؛ سرویراستار فرزان سجودی؛ انتشارات فرهنگسرای میردشتی؛ تهران .

    شفر، ژان ماری (1385) هنر دوران مدرن فلسفه‌ی هنر از کانت تا هایدگر؛ ترجمه ایرج قانونی؛ نشر آگه؛ تهران .

    کاسیرر، ارنست (1382) فلسفه‌ی روشنگری؛ ترجمه یداله موقن؛ انتشارات نیلوفر؛ تهران.

    کانت، ایمانوئل (1390) نقد قوه‌ی حکم؛ ترجمه عبدالکریم رشیدیان؛ نشر نی؛ تهران.

    ضیمران، محمد (1393) نگاهی به فلسفه روشنگری و بازتاب آن در هنر؛ انتشارات نقش جهان؛ تهران

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    • - Alloway, Lawrence (1973) “An Interview with Lawrence Alloway” an interview by James L. Reinish, Studio International
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    • - Harrison, Sylvia (2003) “Pop Art and the Origins of Post-modernism” Published by Cambridge University
    • - Legg, Catherine and Christopher Hookway (2020) “Pragmatism; The Encyclopedia of Philosophy”; editor: Edward N. Zalta; Publisher: Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University
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    • - Morris, Charles (1946) “Signs, Language and Behavior”; New York Prentice-Hall, INC منابع تصویری: - James, Jamie (1996) POP ART; Published by Borders press
Journal of Fine Arts: Visual Arts
Volume 27, Issue 2
Summer 2022
Pages 15-23