The classification provides four or more codes placed on four axis (A - formalism, B - matériality, C - involvement body/mind, D - communication). These codes are positionning the artist in the art history. A axis : FORMALISM When looking at the work, what type of formalisation first strikes the eye? Is it more abstract or more figurative, etc ? (on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "realist").A430 : Neo Figurative "Free figures' and "Neo Comic strip" A more "sophisticated" style than Naive Art and Art Brut, etc. combining art with popular imagery, advertising, comic strip, 80s rock cullture (Robert Combas, Hervé Di Rosa, Keith Harring, …) but also with the "Manga" style from the 90s or machine clip art from the 21st century.
B axis : MATERIALITY How does the materiality of what is shown come across? (on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real").B190 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: Structured lines / flat areas / Drawing Strong lines bounding coloured areas, or the drawings contained within (R.Indiana, P. Stampfli, V. Adami, H. Télémaque, M. Sanejouand, Aki Kuroda,...). Or importance of "line" in the drawing (Hans Bellmer, Pierre Klossowski, J.L.Guitard,...). B200 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: Structured with colours predominant with their intrinsic or symbolic strength, (Monory's "blues", G.Fromanger's "reds") historical or social meaning etc., and their structuring, the colours here are the most important (Jules Olitsky, Peter Halley, ...).
C axis : INVOLVEMENT BODY/ MIND With what body:mind ratio does the artist enter into his work? Classify from the most "intellectual" (e.g."Concept Art"...) to the most "physical" (e.g. "Body Art", ...).C120 : towards the intellectual side/ the essence of things inward looking work chiefly oriented towards: projective dreams, poetry, lyricism, psychedelic experience … to "project" an inner world (Henri Michaux, Wols, ...). C160 : tending towards the corporeal / the senses via expression with "humanity" (the passage from Life to Death) - in a literal manner (John de Andrea, Duane Hanson, Itsvan Sandorfi, ...) - or a symbolic manner (James Ensor, G. Rouault, F. Gruber, Zoran Music, Rebeca Stevenson, Jan Vercruysse, ...), ...
D axis : COMMUNICATION Does the artist have the deliberate intention to convey a message of any sort through his work? (classified from the most "mystical" to the most "worldly").D115 : via what is meant in various narrations or symbolisms whatever they may be allegorical, metaphorical (J. Beuys' "materials", ...), analytical (Mario Merz's "Fibonacci series", or those of Robert Filliou, ...), critical (from Henri Cueco to Hans Haacke or Guillaume Bijl, ...). D180 : tending towards the worldly by essentialised images, illustrations, caricatures, posters, reportages, ... (J. Heartfield, R. Haussmann, G. Grosz, F. Masereel, E. Pignon Ernest, ...). TOUCAS-TERZIAN Patrick http://patricktoucasterzian.com |