13 Ways to Look at a Blackbird
A work of art cannot be simply “art.” it always conveys some sort of content, meaning, information, idea, etc. McEvilley explains the 13 ways we perceive the content:
1. Content arises from artwork we perceive as being representational. These artworks, however, does not represent an objective imitation of an idea, event, object, person, etc. Instead, it represents our own perception of it, based on our culture, traditions, and experiences.
2. Titles and other verbal supplements to artworks convey meaning/content to an artwork. McEvilley writes that artists use verbal supplements to control the interpretation of their artworks. No matter how much an audience can try to be objective about a piece, he or she will still be influenced by the verbal supplements associated with the artwork.
3. Even the genre or medium of their artwork expresses content. He cites the shift in cultural forces in the 1960s, in terms of medium, as an example, wherein two-dimensional paintings imply a lack of direct involvement in experience. On the other hand, sculptures convey a more direct and realistic imitation of art. In other words, paintings are perceived more traditional while sculptures are radical and dynamic.
4. The material of which an artwork is made also conveys content. A viewer makes judgment pronouncements on an artwork based on the material used, without intending to do so.
5. Scale has conceptual significance. For example, an easel painting is portable to signify private property, as opposed to larger paintings--even murals--are intended for the public view.
6. Content can be derived from the temporal duration of an artwork. This means that an artwork created with durable materials, along with its context of royal history and such, conveys immortality -- as it is especially intended to endure through the passage of time. This explains how sculptures of Egyptian pharaohs were made with exaggeratedly durable materials.
7. Content can be perceived in the way an artwork is delivered to the world. It evidently shows when an artwork is created as a product, commodity, or statement.
8. Content can have a conversation with another artist or as a response to a movement. This reminds me of how we approached our final project and just how meaningful our artwork could be using that approach.
9. Content can be found in whatever happens to a work as history goes on, as it becomes part of the work itself. McEvilley cites a few examples, one such as Duchamp’s addition to the Mona Lisa. What Duchamp had added onto the Mona Lisa becomes part of the content of the Mona Lisa as well.
10. Iconography plays a role in the content of artworks. For example, Christians may associate the color blue to Mother Mary. Perhaps the artist did not intend to, but audiences may associate iconographic perceptions of the artwork based on their own traditions (culture, religion, etc.)
11. Even abstract art conveys content, as our constantly associative and conceptualizing minds allow us to see everything within some kind of meaning. McEvilley asserts that art demonstrates a type of reality by embodying it. Thus, an audience will have their own perceptions of that reality and the concepts it represents.
12. Content is influenced by the artists’ motives. This is exemplified by propaganda art where we can really see the artists’ intentions.
13. Content relates to people in a biological or physiological sense. Us humans tend to be attracted to dramatic scenes or sexy scenes. This is because we are reproductive beings.
This was an insightful read. I definitely see how these 13 ways play out during critiques when we see artwork. I’m really interested with how my audience takes my artwork based in their background and experience, even if they could be far from my intentions. McEvilley was thorough in examining every way a person perceives content. I feel encouraged to consult these 13 ways before I construct my work.
