Clive Bell's Artistic Formalism

 

Clive Bell's Artistic Formalism emphasizes that the value of pictorial art lies solely in its formal qualities—lines, colors, and their arrangements on the canvas. Bell introduces the concept of "Significant Form," a quality shared by all objects that evoke aesthetic emotions. According to Bell, this significant form is the only common element among diverse artworks that provoke such emotions. This focus on form means that the worth of an artwork is judged by its ability to stir aesthetic feelings through its formal properties alone, disregarding content, historical context, or artist intention.

 

Bell argues that the recognition of a work of art hinges on the viewer's emotional response. The role of the critic, then, is to help others perceive these forms and feel the corresponding aesthetic emotions. This subjectivity is crucial to Bell's theory, suggesting that without a personal emotional connection, one cannot legitimately recognize or judge an artwork. Bell maintains that the aesthetic experience is distinct and separate from other emotional responses, leading to a unique form of "aesthetic exaltation" that transports viewers beyond everyday life.

 

Bell asserts that true appreciation of art involves a pure aesthetic response, untainted by human interests or representational content. He argues that focusing on representation or historical context leads to "impure appreciation." According to Bell, such interests are sociologically contingent and thus cannot be considered true art. He believes that significant form transcends time and place, providing a lasting value that remains stable and unobscure. This pursuit of timeless significance seeks to identify works that provoke an aesthetic emotion independent of historical and cultural context.

 

Critics like Thomas McLaughlin and John Carey challenge Bell's notion of a pure aesthetic emotion. McLaughlin argues that aesthetic responses are intertwined with personal emotional patterns, while Carey questions the possibility of sharing the same aesthetic emotion across different historical periods. Despite these criticisms, Bell's goal is to identify lasting values in art, though his insistence on a purely formal aesthetic emotion remains contentious.

 

Bell contends that true aesthetic appreciation does not require knowledge of art history or the artist's intentions. He differentiates between aesthetic judgments, which focus on formal qualities, and non-aesthetic judgments, which consider historical, political, or personal significance. For Bell, the true value of an artwork lies in its ability to provoke aesthetic emotions through significant form, independent of any external context or representation.

 

Bell's Artistic Formalism is often seen as a defense of abstract art, emphasizing the importance of form over representational accuracy. This perspective dismisses many values traditionally associated with art, such as historical significance or representational content, focusing instead on the formal qualities that evoke aesthetic emotions.

 

Bell's extreme Formalism, which ties the nature of art to formal properties alone, is problematic. It excludes many aspects of art appreciation, such as historical context or representational content, and fails to accommodate the evolving nature of art practices. However, elements of Bell's theory can be salvaged through a more moderate approach.

 

Moderate Formalism recognizes both formal and non-formal aesthetic properties. Formal beauty is determined by sensory and intrinsic physical properties, while non-formal beauty involves broader aspects like content and context. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of aesthetic value, accommodating a range of artistic practices and viewer responses.

 

In this way, Moderate Formalism asserts that while formal properties play a crucial role in aesthetic appreciation, they are not the sole determinant of an artwork's value. By acknowledging both formal and non-formal aesthetic properties, this approach offers a more flexible and inclusive framework for understanding art.