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● Existentialism
Existentialism is a philosophical and literary perspective that focuses on the experience of an individual person and the way that he or she understands the world. After World War II, some philosophers and writers saw the world as an indifferent place without a set of universal rules that applied to everyone.
What is the main idea of existentialism?
Existentialism is the philosophical belief we are each responsible for creating purpose or meaning in our own lives. Our individual purpose and meaning is not given to us by Gods, governments, teachers or other authorities.
Existentialism is a term applied to the work of a number of philosophers since the 19th century who, despite large differences in their positions, generally focused on the condition of human existence, and an individual’s emotions, actions, responsibilities, and thoughts, or the meaning or purpose of life. Existential philosophers often focused more on what is subjective, such as beliefs and religion, or human states, feelings, and emotions, such as freedom, pain, guilt, and regret, as opposed to analyzing objective knowledge, language, or science.
Existentialist perspectives are also found in literature to varying degrees. Jean-Paul Sartre‘s 1938 novel Nausea was “steeped in Existential ideas”, and is considered an accessible way of grasping his philosophical stance. Since 1970, much cultural activity in art, cinema, and literature contains postmodernist and existentialist elements. Books such as Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) by Philip K. Dick and Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk all distort the line between reality and appearance while simultaneously espousing strong existentialist themes.
Jean-Paul Sartre wrote No Exit in 1944, an existentialist play originally published in French as Huis Clos (meaning “In Camera” or “behind closed doors”) which is the source of the popular quote, “Hell is other people.” The play begins with a Valet leading a man into a room that the audience soon realizes is in hell. Eventually he is joined by two women. After their entry, the Valet leaves and the door is shut and locked. All three expect to be tortured, but no torturer arrives. Instead, they realize they are there to torture each other, which they do effectively, by probing each other’s sins, desires, and unpleasant memories.
Soren Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard is generally considered to have been the first existentialist philosopher. He proposed that each individual—not reason, society, or religious orthodoxy—is solely tasked with giving meaning to life and living it sincerely, or "authentically".
Søren Kierkegaard is considered a precursor to existentialism. He emphasized individual choice, subjective experience, and the importance of personal commitment in the face of uncertainty. Kierkegaard's ideas influenced existentialist thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, who further developed the existentialist philosophy in the 20th century. Kierkegaard's focus on the individual's responsibility and the subjective nature of truth laid the groundwork for existentialist thought.
The Myth of Sisyphus
What is The Myth of Sisyphus?
The myth of Sisyphus originates from Greek mythology. Sisyphus was a cunning king known for his deceitful nature. His punishment in the afterlife became a famous tale. Sisyphus was condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time he reached the top. This eternal and futile task symbolizes the absurdity of human existence, as explored by philosopher Albert Camus in his essay "The Myth of Sisyphus." Camus sees Sisyphus's perseverance as a metaphor for the human struggle to find meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe.
The myth of Sisyphus is often connected with existentialist philosophy, particularly through the lens of Albert Camus. In "The Myth of Sisyphus," Camus explores the concept of the absurd – the tension between humanity's search for meaning and the apparent meaninglessness of the universe.
Existentialism, as a philosophical movement, shares this concern with the individual's search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent or chaotic world. Sisyphus's eternal task resonates with the existentialist idea that life can be characterized by struggle, and individuals must confront the inherent absurdity of existence.
Both the myth and existentialism highlight the importance of personal choice and commitment in the face of a potentially meaningless reality. Sisyphus's continued effort to push the boulder becomes a metaphor for the human condition, where individuals must create their own meaning through conscious choices and actions, even in the absence of inherent or predetermined purpose.
● Surrealism
Surrealism is an art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike scenes and ideas.Its intention was, according to leader André Breton, to "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality", or surreality. It produced works of painting, writing, theatre, filmmaking, photography, and other media as well.
Works of Surrealism feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur. However, many Surrealist artists and writers regard their work as an expression of the philosophical movement first and foremost (for instance, of the "pure psychic automatism" Breton speaks of in the first Surrealist Manifesto), with the works themselves being secondary, artifacts of surrealist experimentation Leader Breton was explicit in his assertion that Surrealism was, above all, a revolutionary movement. At the time, the movement was associated with political causes such as communism and anarchism. It was influenced by the Dada movement of the 1910s.
What is the concept of Surrealism?
Surrealism aims to revolutionise human experience. It balances a rational vision of life with one that asserts the power of the unconscious and dreams. The movement's artists find magic and strange beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny, the disregarded and the unconventional.
Surrealist artists sought to explore the realm of the unconscious and dreams through their work, creating bizarre, dreamlike images that defied logical interpretation. surrealism is characterized by three main themes: dreams, the unconscious, and the irrational. By exploring these themes, surrealism offers us a window into the deepest recesses of our minds and emotions. Surrealist works challenge us to question our assumptions and perceptions, opening up new possibilities for creativity and thought. Even today, surrealism continues to inspire artists and thinkers, reminding us of the power of the imagination and the importance of exploring the unknown.
The characteristics of surrealism include strange images or bizarre juxtapositions, unconsciousness as a valid reality, dream-like artwork or symbolic images, automatism techniques to create random effects, distorted figures or biomorphic shapes, depiction of perverse sexuality, and chance or spontaneity.
● Dada Movement
What is the Dada movement?
Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916), founded by Hugo Ball with his companion Emmy Hennings, and in Berlin in 1917.New York Dada began c. 1915,and after 1920 Dada flourished in Paris. Dadaist activities lasted until the mid 1920s.
Dadaism in literature emerged during the early 20th century as an avant-garde movement that rejected conventional artistic and societal norms. It focused on irrationality, absurdity, and anti-authoritarianism, often using unconventional language and fragmented structures to convey a sense of chaos and rebellion against established traditions. Dadaist literature aimed to provoke thought and challenge the status quo through its radical and experimental approach.
Dadaist writers embraced randomness, chance, and the nonsensical in their works, aiming to disrupt conventional meaning and provoke emotional reactions. They employed techniques like cut-up writing, collage, and the incorporation of found texts to create a sense of disorientation. Dadaism sought to deconstruct language and challenge the idea of art having a fixed meaning, advocating for a more open and subjective interpretation by the audience.
Beginning with a group of artists working in Zurich, Switzerland, Dadaism quickly became an international movement that spread throughout Europe and the U.S., with centers in Paris, Cologne, Berlin, and New York City. The art, poetry, and performances created by Dadaist artists had a lasting impact on avant-garde art in Europe.
The new ways of thinking and creating promoted by Dadaism influenced Surrealism and countless other conceptual art movements like Fluxus and Pop Art.
Characteristics of Dadaism
Dadaism eschewed the classical rules of art and defied conventions, but there are several recognizable characteristics of Dada art.
1. Made from found objects: Dada artists often incorporated found objects or images from mass media into their art through collages and readymades. The artist Marcel Duchamp famously created Dadaist readymade sculptures by manipulating found, prefabricated objects in a simple way, then presenting them in a gallery as art. Artist Hannah Hoch is famous for her use of collage. She pioneered photomontage, in which elements of different photos are pasted together to create a new image.
2. Nonsensical: Dadaist art often features irrationality, humor, and silliness. Marcel Duchamp famously painted a mustache on a postcard of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to show his irreverence for established artistic traditions and his sense of humor.
3. Spontaneous: Dadaist art was often spontaneous, playing with the elements of chance and encouraging spur-of-the-moment creativity. At Dada shows, poems would be created by cutting words out of a single sheet of newspaper, scattering them on the ground, and then randomly organizing them onto a page.
Famous Dadaist Artists
1. Francis Picabia: Picabia was a French printmaker and painter who often created spontaneous conceptual works. In his Dadaist self-portrait Tableau Rastrada, he collaged elements from found media to create an image depicting himself as a social-climbing playboy.
2. Hannah Hoch: Hannah Hoch was a German photographer and artist known for collages and photomontages. Her 1919 collage Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada through the Beer-Belly of the Weimar Republic is a series of disparate images cut from mass media to create a piece of art critiquing the Weimar German Government.
3. Hugo Ball: Poet and author Hugo Ball was one of the founding members of the Dada movement. Ball opened the Café Voltaire—a Dadaist haven—and allegedly gave the movement its name.
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Videos:- 5
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