European Painting

Hey people.

This weeks readings focused on the development of painting outside of the United States during the evil regin of the dark wizards known as the Irascibles (Abstract Expressionism). There were some good covens of witches and wizards practicing the bright arts: Tropicalia (or neoconcretism) in Brazil, Gutai in Japan, art brut (or informel) in France, and the Imagist Bauhaus fronted by Asger Jorn which merged with Letrrist International to formed the SI (Situationist International).

We need to discuss the trends that are similar to Ab Ex in the States, and what are different.

Topics for discussion in class:

1) phenomenology
2) scatology
3) the notion of the concrete (especially related to poetry and topology)
4) Hegelian dialectics
5) the existential dread (Sartre's 'man in a situation')
6) avant-garde and kitsch ala Clement Greenberg
7) Georges Bataille and the notion of base materialism

Further readings to understand the text:

Clement Greenberg, 'Avant Garde and Kitsch'
Walter Benjamin, 'Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction'
Georges Bataille, 'The Story of the Eye'

As far as some of the other conceptions, google search them or look on Wikipedia, and follow as many links as popssible, it will give you enough examples and thoughts on the subject to be able to talk about it.