The concept of art seems to be a very vague one. The more people try to define it, the more interpretations appear. The same can be told about the purposes of art. Different people have different views as far as this problem is concerned. Lois Fichtner-Rathus singles out fifteen purposes of art and presents them as a way of coming to better understand art. The current paper will focus on two of these purposes and the way they may be applied to various artworks. Namely, these are the purposes to express fantasy, stimulate the intellect, and fire emotions.
Fichtner-Rathus admits that artists differ in the way they use art: some use it to reconstruct reality and commemorate actual experiences, whereas others use it to “give vent to their imaginary inner lives” (Fichner-Rathus, 2000, 10). According to him, fantasies that artists can reveal in their works can be of many types, “such as those found in dreams and daydreams or simply the objects and landscapes that are conceived by the imagination” (Fichner-Rathus, 2000, 10). Various tools help artists to render their fantasies to the viewers. In such a way the purpose of expressing fantasy gradually flows into the second purpose under consideration, that is, to make the admirers think profoundly and feel deeply. If the author’s fantasies are successfully revealed, the work of art will evoke many associations among the viewers. They may be of a different type: either some reminiscence, or reflections on the purposes of the artist, or emotional response, or an advance of self-knowledge or knowledge of the outside world.
Sol Lewitt’s Lines for Four Corners to Points on a Grid (1976) and Jackson Pollock’s Number 14: Gray (1948) (Fichner-Rathus, 2000, 27) can be considered as wonderful examples of how the artist’s fantasy finds its embodiment in the works of art. Both artists resort to expressive qualities of art: the works present lines in the chaotic movement. One can only guess what the artists were thinking of at the moment when their works were created. This feeling of uncertainty evokes various feelings in the viewer. They might range from some fear and even terror to a sense of serenity and satisfaction. Though the two works differ in the color gamut used and in the forms and directions of the lines resorted to, in both cases the viewer is encouraged to answer various questions that one can see in the works. I suppose that in the authors’ abilities to ask questions by means of their works and to make people think of them the value of the paintings is rooted.
One more artistic work to demonstrate the purpose of expressing fantasy is Bridget Riley’s Cataract 3 (1967) (Fichner-Rathus, 2000, 69). In this case, the author renders her fantasy by creating an illusion of movement. The effect is achieved through repetition and manipulation of color, shape, and line. There are numerous curved lines that change in thickness and proximity to one another. The use of red and green colors suggests the illusion of vibration. The viewer thus becomes a part of this movement. He or she is made to follow the direction of the waves. Being a part of the painting one is free in his/her associations that might appear. Personally I, when looking at this artwork, forget about everything around me and find myself in a world different from the one I always live in.
My point is that if the works of art can touch the hearts of their viewers, the artists’ goals are achieved. The fantasy that evokes fantasy – isn’t it the main purpose most artists create with?
References
Fichner-Rathus, Lois. (2000). Understanding Art. Harcourt College Publishers.