James Whistler- ‘Art for Art’s Sake’

James Whistler (1834-1903), a British painter, introduced a phrase called Art for Art’s Sake denying the entire previous concept or conventional thinking of ‘art’. The slogan created a new horizon in the field of art and design. Whistler claimed that art could be created for the sake of its own merit. It does not have to satisfy the need or expectation of anybody. Art could be created for the sake of its own necessity. Artists may create for the satisfaction and aesthetic enjoyment without any precondition. Art may have its own merit with no reference to incident, material or history. Color played a very significant role in giving its independent merit without any social taboo. (Read more: http://www.joeralt.com/01/theory/art-for-arts-sake/ ; June 3, 2012)

In order to understand the relationship between art and design one needs to go through the chronological events in the history of modern art that has enormous contribution in the field of modern design profession. Unfortunately in most cases art’s contribution has remained in the area of aesthetics. One has to realize the fundamental change in aesthetic appreciation that we experience today has come from a complex socio-political evolution. The revolutionary intellectual thoughts and challenges the art and architecture faced during the late 19th C AD and the early 20th C AD has led to the present state of freedom of expression. Art had challenged and demolished the orthodox and traditional societal behaviour. Art refused to accept the traditional norms that would restrict their freedom of expression. Such movement at the backdrop of Industrial Revolution, French and Russian Revolution swept through Europe giving birth to new generation creativity. Modern design has enormous debt to the movement.

The position taken by progressive modernism came to be referred to as the avant-garde (a military term meaning "advance-guard"). In contrast to the conservative modernists who looked to the past and tradition, the avant-garde artist consciously rejected tradition. The ‘progressive modernist’ looked to the future while the ‘conservative modernist’ looked to the past. From a progressive modernist's point of view, it was a further exercise of freedom. Naturally such neo-modern philosophy created a horizon for the future generations. The new philosophy drastically changed the course of life style of the common people.

Some of the artists who played important role in evoking the new concept had strong influence through their application of colors. Impressionism may be sited as the beginning of the modern era in art and design who were the champions of color application based on the theory of ‘pure color’.  The Bauhaus became the birth place of the modern industrial design.

Plate12. A Claude Monet		12. B Van Gogh	12. C Paul Cezanne

Plate13.A George Seurat	13. B Paul Gauguin	13. C Pablo Picasso (Blue Period)	13. D Les Demoiselles d'Avignon 1907, oil

(SourcePlates12-13A&B http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&pq=art+for+art%27s+sake+meaning&cp=9&gs_id=hh&xhr=t&q=impressionism&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1350&bih=555&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=ZOrKT-ffA8HUrQe-nqXVDg ; June 3, 2012)
Plates13C-D http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=picasso+paintings&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1350&bih=555&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=-OvKT7SaMcLqrQeDhfDCDg ; June 3, 2012)

Impressionism brought the spirit of liberation from the earlier conventional subjects and color scheme. Artist could choose subject of painting from daily life and from common people (plates 12-13). The choice of color and compositions are decided by the artists. The liberation from the old school of thought and introducing the riot of colors created new breathing space for the creative people.