In Robert Rosenblum’s book "Modern Painting and the Northern Romantic Tradition: Friedrich to Rothko", Rosenblum traces a continuing tradition in art from the 18th century to the 1960s, which centres upon the term ‘sublime’. In the past many artists (amongst them Caspar David Friedrich, Turner, Wassily Kandinsky, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman) and theorists (amongst them Edmund Burke, Immanuel Kant, Jean-Francois Lyotard) have explored the transcendental nature of the sublime in art.
Today we live in an age that prides itself on the loss of illusion. Ideas of transcendence in art are often seen as sentimental and viewed with skepticism. The word sublime seems to be stripped down to “the shock of the new” (often centered on horror).
This essay explores how the transcendental sublime is situated in contemporary art. The ‘transcendental sublime’ will here refer to how looking at a work of art can enable one to be transported, going beyond the given limits to a place of accessing one’s spiritual side. Art that has used shock and terror to achieve a sense of the sublime will be excluded from this discussion.
Table of Contents
1. The ‘Transcendental Sublime’ and Contemporary Art
1.1 “Bridge of Empathy” between the spectator and the transcendental landscape
1.2 Use of Contemporary Media
1.3 Reaching the transcendental through the physical
Objective and Themes
This essay examines the presence and evolution of the "transcendental sublime" in contemporary artistic practice, arguing that despite a cultural climate dominated by skepticism and commercial simulation, artists continue to facilitate profound spiritual and meditative experiences for the viewer.
- The historical continuity of the sublime from Romanticism to contemporary art.
- The critique of art as a commodity versus the pursuit of transcendental depth.
- The role of contemporary media and technology in creating environments for "wordless thought."
- The intersection of spiritual belief systems with physical and scientific mediums.
- The potential of the museum to serve as a secular sanctuary for contemplation.
Excerpt from the Book
“Bridge of Empathy” between the spectator and the transcendental landscape
Artists like Richard Long, Andy Goldsworthy, Wolfgang Laib and Herman de Vries continue the endless magical communions with nature by touching, feeling, accumulating. Their work refers the viewer’s to both the artists’ and viewers’ own experience of nature. In some ways they continue the tradition of Friedrich or Turner, which make the viewer imagine how it would be to have those communes herself.
The same can be applied to the photographic and text works of Hamish Fulton or Jitka Hanzlova. Goldsworthy, De Vries and Laib all work with natural materials evoking a certain sense of raw and pure connection.
Summary of Chapters
The ‘Transcendental Sublime’ and Contemporary Art: This chapter introduces the theoretical context of the sublime and outlines the author's focus on non-violent, spiritual transcendence in art as a counter-movement to postmodern irony.
“Bridge of Empathy” between the spectator and the transcendental landscape: This section explores how contemporary artists use natural materials and direct physical engagement to foster a connection to nature, echoing Romantic traditions.
Use of Contemporary Media: This chapter analyzes how technology, light installations, and video are employed to detach the viewer from everyday reality and evoke states of meditative suspension.
Reaching the transcendental through the physical: This chapter examines how artists integrate mathematical, religious, and scientific elements to bridge the gap between physical existence and spiritual awareness.
Keywords
Transcendental Sublime, Contemporary Art, Romanticism, Spirituality, Nature, Media Art, Empathy, Commodity, Meditation, Technology, Aesthetics, Minimalism, Phenomenology, Museum, Secularism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this essay?
The essay explores how the concept of the "transcendental sublime"—an art form that transports the viewer beyond physical limits to a spiritual state—persists within contemporary artistic practices.
What are the central themes addressed in the text?
The central themes include the historical legacy of the Romantic sublime, the tension between artistic spirituality and commercial simulation, and the use of technology as a tool for meditative experience.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The primary objective is to demonstrate that contemporary artists are successfully utilizing modern tools to revive the Romantic tradition, offering the viewer a path toward personal and aesthetic harmony.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are referenced?
The author references sociological and philosophical concepts such as Baudrillard’s simulation theory and explores how contemporary science and brain scans can measure the intensity of the meditative experiences generated by art.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines diverse approaches to the sublime, ranging from natural communion and media-based installations to the intersection of physical forms with spiritual beliefs in the work of various contemporary artists.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Transcendental Sublime, Contemporary Art, Romanticism, Spirituality, Nature, Media Art, and Meditation.
How does the author define the "transcendental sublime" in the context of this essay?
It is defined as a quality of art that allows the viewer to be transported beyond the mundane, enabling an encounter with one’s own spiritual side, specifically excluding art that relies on shock or terror.
How do artists like Anish Kapoor and Shirazeh Hoshiary contribute to this theme?
They bridge the physical and spiritual by using symbols, mathematical forms, and industrial materials to search for intimacy and immateriality, building upon the foundations laid by Abstract Expressionists.
What future role does the author suggest for museums?
The author suggests that museums could evolve into sanctuaries for respite and contemplation, effectively filling the void left by the decline of traditional religious structures and our detachment from nature.
- Citar trabajo
- Nandita Mukand (Autor), 2013, The Transcendental Sublime in Contemporary Art, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/298270
