A new classification approach, for a new general taxinomy of arts
by Francis Parent, historian and art critic.
SUMMARY
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").
B axis : MATERIALITY
How does the materiality of what is shown come across?
(on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real").
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", ...).
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").
B axis : MATERIALITY
How does the materiality of what is shown come across?
(on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real"). B100 à B120 : Immateriality
B100 : complete immateriality
or various illusions, especially with sound (Philippe Parreno's "Walkman"), light, holograms, smells (James Turrell, ...), Fractal Art (Luc Briard). B110 : by video (tape or digital)
from "Video Art", as such, to "Actionism"; any real "action" or representation of an action, as long as they are displayed through tape or digital video. Here, under B110; moving images (Tony Oursler, Michael Snow, Pipilotti Rist, Pierrick Sorin, Matthew Barney, Gary Hill, ...). B120 : by photography (film or digital)
any "action", or representation, so long as it is made visible as a statement on any backing (cibachrome, perspex, paper, ...). Here, under B120; in fixed images (film or digital: J.M.Bustamante, Philippe Ramette, Cindy Scherman). B130 à B230 : Materiality
in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities:B125 à B170 : unstructured
B125 :
B130 : slight materiality
colours and material are more or less understated, diluted, evanescent, playing with their transparence (Zao Wou Ki, Olivier Debré, …). B140 : with colours predominant
by their intrinsic strength (Mondrian, ... ) or their historic and social symbolism (El Lissitzky, ...), etc., the colours are the most important thing here. B150 : with matter predominant
by its thickness, its composition or the way they are built up, matter here has pride of place (J. Fautrier, J. Dubuffet, J.P. Riopelle, and objects by Bertrand Lavier, ...). B160 : with predominance of volumes
(particularly in sculpture or assemblages.) B170 : unstructured combinations
free combinations of colour, matter and volumes in a more unstructured fashion (Alberto Burri, Manolo Millares, ...). B180 : mixed materiality: structured / unstructured
when a work is "structured" in its "lack of structure", and vice versa (repetition of forms, signs, matter ... Viallat, Toroni, Degottex, Hantaï,...). B190 à B230 : Structured
B190 : 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 : 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, ...). B210 : with materials predominant
their thickness, composition or the way they are worked as structures (the way they are "built up") are here the most important aspect (Eugène Leroy, Bertrand Lavier, ...). B220 : predominance of volumes
particularly in sculpture and assemblages. Specially for "Minimal Art" and its derivatives (Sol Le Witt, Tony Smith, …). B230 : structured combinations
any combinations of lines, colours, matter or volumes of a more structured type (Michail Heizer, Anish Kapoor, Miguel Barceló, ...). B240 : materials or objects in "assemblages", collages/decollages, or installations
meaningful or meaningless objects (or even offcasts of society) when they are assembled with a new spirit:
- to make something aesthetic, as with the "New realists" (Arman, Spoerri, César, …); the "Affichists" (Jiri Kolar, M. Rotella, R. Hains, ...)
- in parody as with the "Simulationnistes" (Haïm Steinbach, ...)
- in many and various other "Installations" as with well known artists (Christian Boltanski, Edward Kienholz, ...) and above all with many artists of the new generation. B250 à B260 : tautology
any object, or material, etc ... taken and presented alone and as such.B250 : reworked objects
in particular sculptors in wood, stone, etc. But also all objets trouvés, recycled and re-worked objects (in particular with Art Brut). B260 : "Ready Made"
objects themselves, alone (Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" , ...), or placed in situations (Marcel Broodthaers' "Fictions", Toni Grand's "les bois", ...). B270 : "Mixed materials"
combinations of various materialities, found chiefly among young creators (for example with "Relational Aesthetic") late 20th century/early 21st, often going hand in hand with "Installations" (Fabrice Hybert, etc., etc., ...). B275 : Works on what is real / natural
all other works using the "natural" as it stands, for example in Arte Povera ("salads" by G. Anselmo, Luciano Fabro, ... ), "Land art", or "Earth art" (colourings of nature by Jean Veram, Robert Smithson, Richard Long, ...). B277 :
B280 : Miscellaneous
material manifestations not fitting in the preceding categories
SUMMARY
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").
B axis : MATERIALITY
How does the materiality of what is shown come across?
(on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real").
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", ...).
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").
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