Aesthetics Journal Assignment #2 (Week 3, Heidegger)

(1) Provide a short, 4-5 sentence summary in your own words of the general gist of the reading. This is a tricky one, so just take an honest stab at it.

Continued on the next few pages à

Everyone Do This One (#2) (2) As we discussed in class, “ontology” is the philosophical study of being; of essence; of the defining characteristics of something that make it what it is and, without it, would transform it into something else. For example: the ontology of a triangle… …would be that it has three sides and three angles. It needs those things to be what it is. Without those things, it would be something else. But if I were to do this: (change its color), it’s still a

triangle. So we know that color is not an essential to it being a triangle in the way that having three sides and three angles is.

With that illustration in mind, here’s the question: what (in your humble opinion) is the ontology of a work of art? In other words, in a couple of sentences (or longer, if you wish) fill in this equation: just as having three sides/three angles is essential for a triangle to have in order to be a triangle; ______________________ is essential for a work of art to have in order for it to be a work of art.

Everyone Do This One (#1)

Pick Any 2 of the Following (from Questions 3 – 6) and You’re Done! Another key aspect of Heidegger’s work here is his discussion of art as symbolism, as semiotics. Semiotics is a philosophical/anthropological field of study in which one analyzes signs and symbols to discover their true meaning. Often, a sign or symbol will look like one thing, but represent something else. For example, the “Holy Spirit” in Christian symbolism is often represented by a “dove.” In fiction, this is often depicted as allegory: stories that can be read just straight as a fictional tale, but are also symbolizing something else. For example, C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia can be read as a fantasy about a talking lion and some kids, but is also an allegory of the life of Christ. With all that in mind, here are some questions on semiotics and allegory: (3) Alchemy. The ancient and medieval prototype of chemistry revealed many truths about the universe (and many insane people trying to do insane things, too). Famously, alchemists attempted to transmute base metals (tin, lead, etc.) into rare metals (silver and gold). They also sought the Elixir of Life, the potion of immortality, and in so seeking, pondered the nature of mankind and the point of life. Below are a few famous images from alchemical texts which were almost always depicted artistically as allegory (in part to hide the true formulae for their experiments). Left: Here’s an image, for example, from Rosarium Philosophorum. It depicts two

of the most common images in alchemical tests: the sun and the moon. Given what I mentioned above about the pursuits of alchemy, what would you guess the sun and the moon represent?

Right: Here’s an image from The Book of Lambspring. One of the most famous alchemical images is present here: the ouroboros, the serpent devouring its own tail. Whether considering alchemy proper or just your own, personal impressions, what would you guess a symbol like this would represent?

(4) Allegory in Art. Here are some famous allegorical pieces of art: Left: Lady Justice is often depicted in

this fashion, represented inside and outside of courthouses around the world. Pick out a few symbols represented in this art and take a stab at trying to interpret their deeper meaning. For example: she appears to be blindfolded. Why? And what other objects and images can you spot here that might have a deeper meaning? Below: The Treachery of Images by Magritte (c. 1929). The caption, in translation, reads: “this is not a pipe.” Thinking about the title of the piece, in connection with the caption, what’s the deeper meaning of this painting? Why is this not a pipe? Looks like a pipe, right? So what’s going on here?

(5) Thinking about allegories and symbolism, link/show me an image of some work of art, in any medium, that you feel is a kind of allegory or symbol, depicting one thing, but more deeply representing something else. (6) Create your own (or harvest from your past work) some piece of art that operates as allegory or symbol, depicting one thing, but representing something else.