The Freedom of Art | On Greenberg’s Modernist Painting

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1904.

In response to Greenberg’s views regarding Modernist Art, I do agree on the point that Greenberg made that Modernist Art became like a continuation of what was already established in the past while trying to be a new ground for the curation of a foundation of trying to implement a movement that is homegrown in its own time in history—meaning that it must take into consideration the events of its surroundings in order to criticize itself and become whole. 

The painting that I wish to discuss as a response is Paul Cezanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire. It is a well-loved piece by an unappreciated artist of his time. His past experiences took hold of what he put out through his artworks—it became his own solace from the chaos that he has participated in and thus he created a picture of what the world seemed for him. The work offers liberation and an invitation to non-conformity as it leads the way for Cubism to flourish. 

If we were to look at Cezanne’s artwork, we can see that it is flat, undefinable, free from borders and the colors do not seem to match what we expected the plains to look like, but that is simply the beauty of modernism—it provides a space for artists to even express themselves and their personalities in their artworks without any reference from the restraints of traditional art. It is not just the same sculptural methods that we have seen from renaissance paintings, as it has more heart and offers a newer perspective for a new world.

Modernism has not just become an art movement but also a philosophical one as it implores the nature of the works themselves. It defines itself to be logical and to be a great supplement to what was emerging that time: the industrial revolution is fast approaching and there is the need to be inventive. There is a need for a reformation of the traditional ways of doing things and that includes art. 

The question of “what is art (at this time)?” took hold of many during this time and this then opened up several discussions as there are aspiring beliefs that are needed to be catered. The integration of logic inspired by Kant has put everything under a microscope and things are now being deliberated if this specific thing is hindering development: if it is, it must be reformed or rebuilt. Spectators of modern art pieces experience a rush as the works “speak” to themselves by hinting if they are actually “living in their own accord,” which explains the alienating features of this movement in order to inspire a new way of thinking and of showing things.

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