ARTISAN PRODU CTS -- The three photographs abuse bhow different types of art in which the USEFUL ART-The worker who designed and built this chair
emphasis is on the usefulness of the objet rather than its abstract beanty. To the primitive artist worked without great concern for the abstract. lie viewed it as
the cave painting has as much validity as the object portrayed. The vase (center) is an example of "a good chair" or "a poor chair" ir terms of its usefulness to the
applied art, an idea introduced by the Greeks. society in shich he lived.
Artist's Role Depends oti What He Is Allowed To Contribute
By DAVID GUILT AUME
HEROLE of the artist Is a very possible to be schooled In the The complex socIeties, starting statuette, or mask are not made- "bankers' hours," the clergyman's
question of primary social con- manipulstion of materials of one with the Greek culture, view the all are a part of meanIngful living, collar.
cern inssmuch as the artist and sort or another and yet be al- world as a series of independent and the art connotations are as The artisan is regarded a a
his contributions to, and com- most totally uncreative. Such an entities which Interact one with Important 51 (are, in a sense, the person, an Individual, working In
mentaries on, society constitute individual may become a fine another. Thus, science, art, philos- same as) the things and ideal the areas of his special skills for
the focus, testing ground and point crafteman but not an artist In the ophy, religion are seen as separate made or expressed, the good of the society and with-
of dissemination for much, often sense discussed here, entities, independent and autono- In such a society the artisan is in the bounds of i s philosophy
most, of a society's creative efforts. mous. Simple societies are not ex- rewarded and accepted to the de- and mores.
The role of the artist depends DISCUSS the artist's role it clusive, whereas complex societies gree to which he fulfills his func-
largely on the quality of the social would be well to examine the are segmented and, often, exclu- tions. There is no separation of the UjNTIL NOW we have made the
contribution he Is allowed or en- role of art in society, and, to facil- live, artisan or his products from the distinction of simple and com-
couraged to make; and the degree itate this, divide societies Into needed utilitarian sphere of life. plex societies as differentiated by
of acceptance and permissiveness simple and complex. THE DISTINCTION between The artisan-crafteman of such a the society's general word view on
evinced by the society will inevit- In a simple society, the world is these two ways of viewing the simple society may be said to cor- a philosophic level.
ably affect the artist's function- viewed as a whole-distinctions world are basically important to respond, in the degree of his tote- It Is also necessary to discuss
Ings and contributions between animate and inanimate, all phases of thinking and reason- gration in his culture, to that of other classifications, The first of
The basic differences of the ar- physical and mental, actual and ing, and directly influence the role the skilled worker in our complex these we will call the Power so-
tist from the generality of man- ideational are recognized only art and the artist will play, society, to the riveter, carpenter, ciety, in that it is organized by
kind are ones more of attitude vaguely if at all. The lemens of Art for the sie ociety em- airplane pilot, and for the powerful, This classifi-
than craft and are to be found in existence are expressions of, inS- bodies the actuality of the Idea or This does not imply that the cation does not preclude or super-
the activity (not reserved for art gral parts of, a singse unity. thing discussed: the symbols of artisan is the same as any other sede the simple-complex differen-
practitioners alone) known as the The ancient Chinese, for ex- the sand painting, for example, individual In the simple society; tiation; society will make weak-
creative process ample, held that humanity (dead are Identified with the Ideas rep- rather, his role Is accepted as is strong distinction regardlesa of
This process-looked on askance and alive) and the spirit world resented. In complex socieles the that of any other producer of use- simplicity or complexity as defined
gby many, misunderstood by most, were interdependent - the mal- art expressions are a discussion ful goods, Various occupational above,
elusive of the categorizers codifi- functioning of any single compo- about the thing or idea portrayed. idiosyncracies are reconzted, but In the not greatly differentiated
cation (but probably inherent to nent could jeopardize the ordering In the simple society the artisan recognized as being no more than society the artist produces his
some degree in everyone)- is of the entire system, This notion role is that of the producer of similar occupational idiosyncracies wares without much difference as
fundamentally an aggressive curi- led to strict traditions of propriety goods of utility: distinctions as to imposed by the nature of the role- to his clients or personalities: his
osity unqualified by stereotypes, and correct behavior, in the man- the validity or worth of function functions of other members of the principle concern is the production
and a power of obseerati o t ner of Confucius, among a pot pounder, canoe prow, society: the farmer's overalls, of usable goods,
naive (in that it is fresh each time In the Power society (ancient
it is exercised) and profound tin th Th Egypt, Rome, various churches)
that it Is a combination of high *e is a however, he is engaged primarily
intelectand roa humn uner-to perpetuate, consolidate, and
Tinecs bod umn uakne An a cater to the cult of the power,
s sann g is) s No alat-pt ition h This is perhaps the art practi-
erasie po thi qaliy to a hh any s tioners first emergence as an
degree any more than all ersons '" artist": before this he had been
engaged in business are capable simply an artisan,
of managing a large corposation, ti hntesceyisiu
to egery a eer of e strategy tionalizes weak-strong differences
funametarly an ahghesve reg. lby family, class, or caste (rather
Nand gupoweroobseraidnc r of Cthan by age, skill, or sex) that
e UT fnd gace In the art practitioners function
crestive attitudes and activi--hags
ties is one of the most vital oc- chges.
cupations of any society: without hwE ARTIST is in several ways
the development of these creative doferpente f o te, and
activities the society t, gnates, ~ c aftf e f o the arinr
and without some guidance toward by the hour or by the job. His
goals and expressions suitable o ignew economic status ii not neces-
the perpetuation and enhance- sarily (but may be vastly) higher,
ment of the society, the society iu His functions, however, are
in danger of drastic change, even * , II greatly different. His possible
destruction. stipe as more s n chgs
tie is onop is more resrite inta that
The creative attitudes, then, are he is confined to the aggrandize-
the basic quality of the artist. It ment of his powerful employer,
is the basic quality also of any y - and he is (even when dealing with
other individual regardless of his religious or ideological areas) more
field who is creating rather than secularized in that he is more con-
copying or simply re-arranging. cerned with the superficial, worldly
The fundamental quality of cre- aspects of his work: the stage set
ativity finds its expression in any of religious or temporal power in-
of a number of areas or forms de- p stitutions are often more im-
pending on how the individual has portast than their philosophic con-
been trained and what areas of tent.
expression are socially acceptable ' Also, the artist works in con-
and rewarded in his society. It is junction with or on the orders of
his employer, and traditional or
David Guillaume teaches the artists personal values tend to
arf education in the architcc- be subordinated to the immediate
ture dcollege. nHe iswrineg- ART FOR THE STATE -- These two photographs show examples of art created as a reflection of desires of the power group. As a
for his Ph.D. in education, the state, social or religious power group under which the artist lives. He Is, in effect an employee hireling of the powerful (usually
of a particular power group. (Continued on Next Page)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23 Page Eleven