Classification : A190-A230-B180-B170-C150-C190-D110 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 : FORMALISMWhen 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"). A190 : Abstracts not constructed / informal mixed (between "Matter informalist", "Tachism" and "Action Painting" (Willem De Kooning, Clifford Still, Antoni Tapiès, Bengt Lindström, Riopelle, Olivier Debré, ...). A230 : Abstracts with signs The work as a whole remains abstract but includes (or consists entirely of): where signs become symbols or icons crossover from simple writing to meaningful symbols (Jean Fautrier, Alfred Manessier, Alechinsky, Ch. Dotremont, A.R. Penck, Wenda Gu, ...).
B axis : MATERIALITYHow does the materiality of what is shown come across? (on a scale from more "immaterial" to more "real"). B180 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: 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,...). B170 : Materiality in painting, but also with all other materials with the following possibilities: unstructured unstructured combinations free combinations of colour, matter and volumes in a more unstructured fashion (Alberto Burri, Manolo Millares, ...).
C axis : INVOLVEMENT BODY/ MINDWith 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", ...). C150 : between Where the material and corporal necessities of existence confront the multiple questions about its "essence" (from Munch's "Scream" to the Installations of Thomas Hirschhorn, from Karrel Appel's "Scream" to Francis Bacon, ...). C190 : tending towards the corporeal / the senses the work as the result of an action gestural the work as the result of a bodily movement, chiefly a hand movement: from Jackson Pollock's "Dripping" to Georges Mathieu's "Lyrical Abstraction", L. Fontana's "perforations" to the flayed figures of V. Vélickovic.
D axis : COMMUNICATIONDoes 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"). D110 : via what is meant with various spiritual or less marked religious influences (from Barnett Newman to Mark Rothko, from Roman Opalka to Arnulf Rainer, ...). |