Formalism

 Object-centered theory

 Focus only on the work itself

 Do not focus on the artist of the

observer/audience
What is formalism?

 Formal properties are the only things that matter

about art
 Essence of art
 Definition of art
 Evaluation of art

 What are formal properties?

 Shape, color, harmony, rhythm, angles, rhyme
 NOT representation, expression, symbolism
 NOT moral, religious, or political value
Arguments supporting formalism
Does it explain what we want to understand about art?

 What is distinctive about art objects as

opposed to ordinary objects?

 What makes art special or distinctive as a

cultural phenomenon?

 Are there examples that can be

understood best in formalist terms?
Arguments against formalism
Does it explain what we want to understand about art?

 Does it account for the things about

art that make it distinctive or
special?

 Are there examples that cannot be

understood best in formalist terms,
viz., counter-examples?
Testing Formalism:
Do we see the same object?
 Do we describe the same properties in the
object? Is there one “correct” description?

 Does our age or veterans’ status or education

lead us to see something different?

 Does our race or gender lead us to see

something different?
Testing formalism:
Can we appreciate the object fully by
focusing only on formal properties?

 Is information about the artist significant in

understanding and appreciating the work?
 Is information about the moral, religious,
political value significant in understanding and
appreciating the work?
 Is the expression, symbolism, or
representation significant?