THE ART OF THE READY-MADE BETWEEN FORMAL TASKS AND ARTISTIC GESTURE: SCULPTURAL LANGUAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MATERIALITY OF THINGS

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyze contemporary art projects using readymade from the point of view of morphological analysis of artistic language. This involves comparing the formal tasks of works of art (“thing-form”) with the phenomenon of artistic gesture (“thing-gesture”). Methodology combines general scientific and special methods of analysis. The first group includes methods of typology, comparison, deduction. The second group includes methods of formal and compositional analysis. The results. Objectivity and connection with the “thing” status are a unique feature of the ready-made. This feature is important in any specific environment where the artistic potential of ready-made objects is realized. Thing-gesture allows both to enhance and overcome the feature of objectivity, avoiding the natural connections of the ready-made object with reality or offering alternative ones instead (Daniel Arsham, Willie Cole). Instead, the thing-form develops the morphological nature of the ready-made, provokes the viewer with the destructive possibilities of forming (Shennick Smith). Also, the form is able to integrate the material nature of the thing into the general context of the artistic idea (Myroslav Balka). In both principles analyzed by us, the dual property of the ready-made to act simultaneously as a “ready-made” and as a “found” object is manifested. This actualizes the artist’s choice, the author’s point of view on the artistic task and allows the viewer’s objective experience to be involved in the emotional perception of the work. Scientific novelty. The article shows that the use of the ready-made as an avant-garde technique that changes the existing rules of the game comes into conflict with generally accepted artistic rules. Often this gives rise to alternative statuses for marginal or taboo artistic ideas. This feature of the ready-made, which can be assessed as one of the relevant methodologies of contemporary art, is the reason for the importance of the aesthetics of ready-made objects in contemporary art. Practical relevance. The results of the study can be used both in educational and research areas.