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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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In response to David Hume’s "Of the Standard of Taste," I would like to present the 2008 film, The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan to express how this certain film is supposed to be considered aesthetically pleasing in correspondence with the criteria expounded by Hume in his work. This film is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, as it is included in several lists of it being stated to be so, it became a “cult” favorite and the film is well-known by the masses even outside of the realm of superhero comic fans. This is a clue that supports the fact that it is subjectively good, as many of those who have watched the film have openly argued that it was an authentic re-telling of Batman’s story which was further amplified by the cast of characters in which it consisted of. To back this up, a lot of critics have given the film a high score, and it can be seen through this link. Hume had expressed that it is necessary for the standard of taste to be in coherence with those who have mastered the craft itself. The names listed there are considered to be known film critics that have the capacity to influence the public’s view on the reception of the film when it is released in cinemas already.

In order to comprehend the experience that a viewer would have felt through this film, we have to look at the director first. Christopher Nolan is a renowned director in Hollywood that is most notable for his multitude of awards bagged in the film industry. His films have definitive themes that concern morality, identity, and even metaphysics. In this case, the Batman film has explored the themes of choice, that people are both good and bad, and it also provided a social commentary as depicted with the happenings in Gotham and the stark differences between Bruce Wayne and The Joker. Hume appreciates these ethical concepts being opened up by the film as it concerns the discussion on human nature and how it mirrors the issues that we currently face in real-world because it promotes the act of introspection and reflection since it has the capacity to affect us in the way we perceive things and do things in real life.

To add to this discussion, Hume has opened up the path to give a “breathing room” to the concept of taste. It did not enclose people to a specific set of rules, meaning that it can be adjusted even if there are people who would generally know more than the layperson. Through films, many people are allowed to give and share their insights as to why they have enjoyed it or not and I think this is what Hume wanted out of his work: to see people interact and discover more about themselves and the people around them in order to create a more authentic experience in life.

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Buy Bust Trailer (2018)

As a response to Walter Benjamin’s essay, I would like to focus on his take on films by referencing Erik Matti’s Buy Bust (2016).

Buy Bust has provided a new set of perspectives that might have actually happened during President Duterte’s war on drugs, mainly about police corruption and how people in the slum areas suffer greatly as an outcome of these operations compared to those who are the big fishes of the problem on drugs.

To expound on this, the film had exposed its audience to the harsh reality of the world through controversial topics that are seemingly undetected at first glance as the director manipulated the story’s narrative to espouse a reaction from its mass audiences. Films like this aim to challenge the people who watch them to analyze similar instances that can be seen in reality while trying to open up a discussion to correct the issues stated in the film, therefore opening an emancipatory outlet for progression and development that would be beneficial for humanity. Watching films like this one is now readily available for people to consume because of the rise of mechanical reproduction and will now increase our sensibilities regarding societal problems and will then increase the chances of overthrowing such issues and rising above them as a community.

Through Walter Benjamin’s essay, we are reminded of art’s power, making us realize that as the world around us begin to change, we are molded by the media and art-objects that we consume, and the way that we perceive art should also begin to change. I reiterated these notions because I would like to magnify the importance of involving people to the things that are happening around them in society: meaning that we must be able to criticize the problematic ideals set by those who are on top, to stop a “leader” and their fascist ideals from reigning over us.

In my case, I see films that are like this to be a continuous communication among those who view it, since it is something that one would ponder upon even days or weeks after watching it. Films allow us to have a seemingly instant confrontation without having to know its background or who made it, and it also allows us to create our own interpretation outside of what is blatantly shown on screen. It goes deeper into our reality by immersing us into it, even subconsciously at first, but will eventually be apparent once it has settled.