Download Concerning the Spiritual in Art djvu

I’ll have to say I feel like I have only gleaned the surface of Kandinsky’s meaning relative to the spiritual in art. What follows are some key themes that spoke to me:

Art offers revolutionary possibility and is the sphere turned to in time of societal stress, breakdown, and chaos. “When religion, science and morality are shaken. . . . when the outer supports threaten to fall, man turns his gaze from externals in on to himself. Literature, music and art are the first and most sensitive spheres in which this spiritual revolution makes itself felt” (p. 25).

Artists and their art connects humans to a deeper or transcendent meaning. “To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts – such is the duty of the artist” (citing Schumann, p. 16). “No other power can take the place of art. . . at times when the human soul is gaining greater strength, art will grow in power, the two are inextricably connected” (p. 63).

Art communicates – without the use of words. I’m increasingly tired of the primacy of words and speech acts as the preferred communication method – particularly when the rhetoric is 2D, hateful, and divisive. “At different points along the road are the different arts, saying what they are best able to say, and in the language (emphasis mine) which is peculiarly their own” (p. 31).

One’s hermeneutic must move beyond impression or observation (what the art is, what it depicts, or its specific configuration or construction) to an allowance for the art to communicate its meaning. “Our materialistic age has produced a type of spectator or ‘connoisseur,’ who is not content to put himself opposite a picture and let it say its own message. Instead of allowing the inner value of the picture to work. . . . his eye does not probe the outer expression to arrive at the inner meaning” (p. 58).

Kandinsky's Spiritual Triangle represents a societal and personal progression from solely material to spiritual concerns where the primary movement is influenced by artists and their work. “Painting is an art, and art is not vague production, transitory and isolated, but a power which be directed to the improvement and refinement of the human soul – to, in fact, the raising of the spiritual triangle” (p. 62).

My curiosity about this notion of 'spiritual in art' arises from a bias that there's something about aesthetic experience that facilitates a moment where humans transcend individual interest solely captivated by the awe or beauty of the experience of art, music, theater, dance, etc. andinsky's work provides a framework via the triangle to understand art and artist's importance beyond the material toward meaning, purpose and transcendence. I realize in using the word transcendence I'm not defining it - this too is a term I want to learn more about. Reading Kandinsky is but a starting point in this exploration - finally, this work was written early in Kandinsky's career - it would be good to read more of his ideas to further clarify definition and meaning of key constructs: spiritual, sacred, inner meaning, and inner need, for examples.

This would be a good read for those interested in art history, spirituality, aesthetics, and experience. I can imagine those interested in place design also benefiting from this book especially Kandinsky's discussion of color.

Note: My review is based on 2010 version

I was rather disappointed with this text for all the superlatives that I had seen about it. It is a manifesto and call to arms for the modern movement which is all good but he bases a large amount of his thesis on (now?) questionable science and philosophical constructs. What it does give is an insight into what he and others in his time were thinking.

I have not read the original text, but the translation is laborious. Also missing, are illustrations referenced in the text. And what were the advertisements for Hootsuite doing in the front of the book?

In summation, it has been said that all students of art must read this text. I would replace "must" with "may well want to" and add that they should look for a better translation.

I came at this after reading a Georgia O'Keeffe biography where it mentioned that this was one of her major influences. I wish I had read this years ago. It has been one of the best insights into modern art, its transcendence to the spiritual and its relationship to music and the philosophy of the times. It has left me thinking about my own work and why I do what I do. I don't agree with every point, but it is definitely on my list of must reads for students of art and art lovers. I am sure I will read this a few times!

There were some great points about color Harmony and the emotion of each color, but towards the end I got a little bored of the reading despite the book being so thin/having so few pages.

Good price and reproduction, but did find a couple of pages placed out of order. Emailed publisher and received response quickly on how to find the missing pages. Only reason for four star is because of the mismatch pages.

This thin tome contains as much food for thought as a book ten times its size. Kandinsky covers a wide range of subjects of interest to people who may be aiming at creating or understanding art that speaks directly to the soul. It is at once earthly and cosmic in its treatment of spirtuality, feeling, colors, and abstraction.

A little bit more than I expected as someone just beginning to learn about abstract art.

essential book for all serious a
not only was Kandinsky an amazing, revolutionary artist,
but he could write about his discoveries,
so we can all (or most of us) understand what he was thinking and feeling