Sunday, January 20, 2008

Walter Benjamin - On Art


In the appreciation of a work of art or an art form, consideration of the receiver never proves fruitful.... Art posits man’s physical and spiritual existence, but in none of its works is it concerned with his response. No poem is intended for the reader, no symphony for the listener...What does a work “say” ? What does it communicate? It tells very little to those who understand it. Its essential quality is not statement or the imparting of information.

Walter Benjamin
(http://www.wbenjamin.org/voorthuis.html#fn3)

2 Comments:

At 1/22/2008 6:39 PM, Blogger Synchronicity said...

this is very profound but i find myself searching to disprove it. in my opinion art, poetry, and literature all seduce the audience, viewer, reader, and even voyeur into conversation and interaction.

 
At 1/23/2008 4:06 AM, Blogger John Gallaher said...

Searching to disprove profound statements is an eternal good!

 

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